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A new report shows that cases of several major foodborne illnesses have decreased since a food surveillance system was established in 1996 to collect data.

Infections from E. coli 0157, Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, Yersinia and Salmonella all decreased between 1996 and 2004 according to data from the FoodNet surveillance program.

FoodNet is a collaborative project of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration. It tracks confirmed incidences of foodborne illnesses in 10 states which include 44 million people.

USDA Secretary Mike Johanns hailed the reduction in illnesses from E. coli 0157 as a tremendous success story.

The report marked the first time incidences of the illness fell below the goal of the Healthy People 2010 program, a national disease prevention and health promotion initiative.

"These results demonstrate that through innovative policies and strong and consistent enforcement of inspection laws, we are protecting the public’s health through a safer food supply," Johanns said.

According to Jeff LeJeune, Ohio State University veterinary researcher, one cow contaminated with E. coli O157 that has been sent to the slaughterhouse can contaminate many other cows and can result in the contamination of millions of pounds of ground beef.

"One cow can excrete about 1 million E. coli organisms in each gram of feces," he said. "And it only takes less than 1,000 of those bacteria to make a person sick."

CDC Director Julie Gerberding said the report underscores the investments in food safety.

"However, foodborne disease is still a significant cause of illness in the United States, and further efforts are needed to sustain and extend these important declines and to improve prevention of foodborne illnesses," she said.

The CDC is particularly concerned about why some salmonella strains seem to contaminate produce during production and harvest.

According to John Wargowsky, executive director of Mid American Ag and Hort Services (MAAHS), Ohio producers are increasingly taking steps to ensure a safer food supply.

"More and more Ohio fruit and vegetable growers are consistently implementing what they have learned through the Ohio and Indiana Specialty Crop Food Safety Initiative," he said.

The initiative, managed in part by MAAHS, aims to increase commercial Ohio and Indiana fresh fruit and vegetable producer awareness and understanding of the benefits of adopting Good Agricultural Practices.

"The use of Good Agricultural Practices clear through better home food preparation practices all lead to this great news that foodborne illnesses are on the decline," Wargowsky said.