ATLANTA—The safety of America’s food supply keeps getting better.

According to recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, by 2010 the frequency of foodborne illness outbreaks had decreased by 32 percent over the previous five years.

“The industry is doing a great job,” said Dr. Richard Raymond, a food safety and public health consultant who previously worked as U.S. Department of Agriculture undersecretary for food safety. “Consumers are doing a great job of listening to the safe food handling and proper cooking messages that are out there, and the restaurants and other people that cook our foods are doing a better job of preventing cross-contamination.”

Among the reasons food has gotten safer, Raymond said, are increased testing and a willingness to pull products out of circulation if a problem is suspected.

Foodborne illnesses are caused by contaminated foods or beverages. The CDC found that infections caused by six key pathogens in 2010 were 23 percent less frequent.

“E. coli incidences have been reduced, and the industry has worked hard to curb any potential outbreaks,” said Tony Banks, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation commodity marketing specialist. “Farmers are becoming increasingly aware of the influence that crop and animal production practices have on food safety, and they are continuously implementing management practices that prevent potential foodborne contamination.”

Consumers can do their part to prevent foodborne illness by following tried-and-true food safety practices such as washing hands and food preparation surfaces, washing fruits and vegetables and using separate cutting boards for produce and raw meats.

Cooking meat to a safe minimum temperature and checking it with a food thermometer helps kill potentially harmful microbes as well.

“As consumers become more aware of food safety practices, they serve as the last line of defense in preventing foodborne illnesses,” Banks said.

Contact Banks at 804-290-1114.