When St. Louis families sit down to dinner, they don’t expect salmonella to be on the menu; but the risk of serving food-borne illness with the chicken and tossed salad is increasing. In recent weeks, St. Louis residents have been threatened by tainted romaine lettuce at Schnucks and salmonella-infected Foster Farms’ chicken and Cargill’s ground beef.

The threat of food-borne illness from contaminated meat and produce is on the rise, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warn. Each year, more than 48 million people are sickened by food poisoning which kills 3,000. Salmonella is the top cause of food-borne illness, but outbreaks of campylobacter contamination in chicken and raw milk and listeria in lettuce are increasing.

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, chicken and ground beef pose the greatest food-borne illness threat. Of great concern to St. Louis personal injury lawyers is the growing incidence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in supermarket meat. According to the Food and Drug Administration, antibiotic-resistant bacteria was found in 81% of ground chicken, 69% of pork chops, 55% of ground beef and 39% of chicken sold in grocery stores. Antibiotic-resistant strains of food-borne illnesses carry a greater risk of serious illness and death.

Contracting a food-borne illness can result in loss of income, expensive medical bills, possible hospitalization and even death. If you contract a food-borne illness, contact an experienced St. Louis product liability attorney immediately.