Recent estimates by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) place the bacterial infections of Salmonella and E. coli at over US$3 billion annually in the United States alone, along with the irreplaceable cost of 500 human lives each year.

Salmonella and E coli are primarily found in animal products such as beef, chicken and eggs, with the disease being transmitted to humans because the animals themselves are sick before being slaughtered.

The meat is thus often contaminated with fecal material containing infectious germs. In cases where these food-borne pathogens are spread by plants such as spinach, alfalfa sprouts or other fruits or vegetables, the source of the infections is water that has gone onto the plants after being contaminated by manure from livestock.

While the USDA puts the cost estimate at more than US$3 billion, the Produce Safety Project, a non-profit group working from Georgetown University for mandatory safety standards has estimated a cost of more than US$15 billion, which includes calculations for expenses related to functional disabilities such as nursing home care or special education.

We are saddened by the heavy toll of suffering caused by the animal-borne bacteria of Salmonella and E. coli. May the valued work of such scientific bodies as those at Georgetown University and the US Department of Agriculture awaken humanity more and more to the lifesaving and humane benefits of plant-based fare.

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/fs/food-disease/news/may2410costest.html
http://www.pcrm.org/news/release080709.html
http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/20669