KEY POINTS:
Food-poisoning is costing New Zealand $83 million a year, says a new study for the Food Safety Authority.
The study by the Institute of Environmental Science and Research, made public this week, follows one in March which showed acute gastro-intestinal illness was more serious than previously thought, causing 4.6 million bouts of diarrhoea and/or vomiting a year.
Per capita, that is slightly higher than the rates in Australia and Canada.
New Zealand has a very high rate of campylobacteriosis, with more than half of cases linked to chicken. The number of campylobacter infection cases halved last summer, following intense focus including new controls on the poultry industry.
Case numbers have been climbing again since June, although this is thought to be the normal seasonal cycle.
The authority is appealing to home cooks to focus on kitchen hygiene with chicken and other raw meat.
The latest study found 90 per cent of the economic burden from foodborne disease is caused by lost productivity through time off work.
The researchers looked at six acute gastro-intestinal illnesses which have a high incidence and/or effect, including campylobacter, salmonella, norovirus and listeria.
Campylobacter infection makes up nearly half of reported cases of the six illnesses, but was responsible for 90 per cent of the $83 million costs.
Those infected with campylobacter take an average 7.9 days off work, those with salmonella, 2.06 days and norovirus, 0.8. For listeria, 30 days is the most likely duration.
