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A study by researchers from the FDA, CDC and USDA found little or no progress toward four Healthy People 2030 targets for reducing foodborne infections. The latest available data show higher incidence of Campylobacter, STEC and Listeria than their 2016–2018 baselines, while Salmonella incidence was nearly unchanged; none of the targets had been met.
Researchers from the FDA, CDC and USDA found that the United States has made “none to very slight” progress toward foodborne illness reduction targets in Healthy People 2030, with none of four pathogen-specific goals met in the latest available data. Incidence rose above baseline levels for Campylobacter, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and Listeria, while Salmonella rates were nearly unchanged.
The study, published in the Journal of Food Protection, assessed nearly four decades of national food safety objectives under the Healthy People initiative. The researchers analyzed historical surveillance data, primarily from the CDC’s Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, to compare infection rates with reduction targets. The latest figures cover 2024 for Salmonella, STEC and Listeria, and 2023 for Campylobacter.
For Campylobacter, incidence rose from a 2016–2018 baseline of 16.2 to 20.6 infections per 100,000 people, against a target of 10.9. Salmonella was almost level, at 15.2 per 100,000 compared with a baseline of 15.3 and a target of 11.5. STEC increased from 4.6 to 5.7 per 100,000, above its 3.7 target. Listeria incidence rose from 0.27 to 0.36 per 100,000, compared with a target of 0.22.
The researchers described overall progress toward national foodborne illness reduction goals as limited. The findings are consistent with a 2025 Government Accountability Office report, according to the study. The researchers also said that none of the Healthy People 2020 food safety targets had been met.
Four Infection Targets Remain Unmet
The results show that national targets intended to reduce infections from several major foodborne pathogens remain out of reach. The rising rates reported for three pathogens matter because they indicate that the measured burden has not moved toward the goals, while the nearly unchanged Salmonella rate also remains above its target. The figures describe population incidence, not an explanation for why rates changed.
The scale of foodborne illness carries costs beyond the initial infection. The study cites a 2025 Government Accountability Office report estimating that more than 9,000 outbreaks were reported from 2011 through 2022 across all 50 states. That report put annual costs at $75 billion in 2023 dollars, including medical care, lost productivity and premature deaths, as well as costs linked to some secondary chronic illnesses and conditions. Those are estimates cited by the research, not costs newly calculated by the study.
For readers, the findings offer a measure of how the country is performing against stated public health goals. They do not establish that every infection is preventable or identify which interventions would make the targets achievable. They do show that reported progress, as measured against these objectives, has so far been insufficient.
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How Healthy People Tracks Food Safety
Healthy People is a national health initiative involving the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and public and private organizations. It sets objectives for each decade, with the aim of improving health and well-being. The initiative began with a 1979 report by the U.S. surgeon general, and food safety objectives were introduced in Healthy People 2000. Healthy People 2030 is the fourth decade to include them.
The research looks across nearly four decades of targets, but the authors caution that comparisons between periods are not straightforward. Surveillance methods and diagnostic technologies have changed, as have approaches to setting targets. Earlier objectives relied on single-year baseline rates; newer targets use three-year pooled averages and more rigorous statistical methods. These changes complicate comparisons across decades, even as the latest data can be assessed against the current targets.
““none to very slight” progress toward foodborne illness reduction targets”
— Researchers from the FDA, CDC and USDA, as reported in the study
Limits of the Available Comparisons
The study reports whether the latest available incidence estimates meet Healthy People 2030 targets; it does not, in the source material provided, identify the causes of the increases in Campylobacter, STEC or Listeria. Nor does it establish which policies, food handling practices or other interventions might change the rates.
Comparisons over time carry limitations because surveillance systems, diagnostic tools and target-setting methods have changed. The latest data also do not all cover the same year: Campylobacter figures are from 2023, while the other three are from 2024. The reported rates are national estimates per 100,000 people, and the source does not provide further breakdowns by location, age group or food source.
Future Data Will Track the Goals
The study’s findings provide a current assessment of progress against the Healthy People 2030 targets, using the latest data available to the researchers. Continued surveillance will be needed to show whether rates change in subsequent years and whether any pathogen-specific target is reached by the end of the decade.
The source material does not specify a new intervention, policy announcement or timetable for a further report. Readers should look for future CDC surveillance releases and updates to the Healthy People objectives for revised incidence figures and progress assessments. Any later comparisons will need to account for the study’s cautions about differences in measurement and target-setting across time.
Key Questions
Which foodborne illness targets did the study assess?
It assessed Healthy People 2030 reduction targets for Campylobacter, Salmonella, STEC and Listeria monocytogenes.
Did any of the four targets meet its goal?
No. The latest available figures reported in the study were above the targets for all four pathogens. Salmonella incidence was nearly unchanged from its baseline, while the other three rates increased.
What years do the latest data cover?
The latest data cover 2024 for Salmonella, STEC and Listeria, and 2023 for Campylobacter.
Can the study explain why some infection rates increased?
Not from the information reported here. The study documents incidence relative to baselines and targets, but the source material does not establish causes for the increases.
Why are comparisons across decades difficult?
The researchers said surveillance methods, diagnostic technologies and target-setting approaches have changed. For example, newer objectives use three-year pooled baselines rather than the single-year baselines used in earlier periods.
Source: foodsafetynews.com
