More than 48 million Americans are affected by food related illnesses each year

Each year, about 1 of 6 Americans become sick from food (around 48 million people). Of those, nearly 130,000 find themselves in a hospital, and about 3,000 people die each year from food poisoning. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report about the rise of specific illnesses.

Researchers believe to have more knowledge about specific pathogens believed to cause the majority of cases.

One of the primary issues is the lack of education in terms of food safety. Many individuals improperly cook food or leave it out of the refrigerator for too long.

Nearly 25 percent of all food illnesses are caused by known pathogens, but more than 75 percent of cases are from unknown agents. Whether lack of data or new chemicals, additional research is imperative to resolve this growing issue.

One of the biggest issues is that illnesses caused from food are completely preventable, deeming them largely unacceptable. Informing the public about food safety and the processes required to prepare food safely are key components moving forward.

Nearly 30 percent of deaths were due to salmonella.

Experts are working to increase the effort to prevent food related illnesses.