Preventative food safety measures are often viewed as a cost, but the financial impact of outbreaks is far more severe. According to a piece from Food Safety News, the economic burden of foodborne illness frequently outweighs the price of safety programmes.
The USDA has reported that Cyclospora costs the United States approximately $5.3 million annually. This figure significantly exceeds the $4.5 million required to maintain certain safety programmes, with costs for the current summer season already surpassing both amounts.