Recent food industry problems illuminate a decades-long struggle for food producers to control the spread of dangerous pathogens that threaten public safety. And it's not letting up.

Cargill's recall of 36 million pounds of ground turkey for exposure to a resistant form of Salmonella, for example, infected at least 77 people in 26 states, hospitalizing more than a third of victims and killing one. More recently, 55 people in 14 states became infected with Listeria from cantaloupes, killing 25 people in what authorities are calling the worst outbreak in 10 years.

Countless other food industry crises have threatened public safety, and we can expect more of the same, if history is an indicator of what's to come. Yet there are greener alternatives ripe for exploration in a food industry that faces more than a few daunting adversaries.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that food borne pathogens cause 76 million illnesses per year in the U.S., resulting in 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,200 deaths. Although Americans have come to expect the risks associated with meat products, such as raw hamburger, the proportion of outbreaks caused by seemingly innocuous fruits and vegetables is increasing. 

E. coli alone causes approximately 70,000 infections each year, and 5 percent to 10 percent of those infected develop a potentially fatal kidney complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome.

In short, food-borne illnesses create consumer health issues and raise fears. Food recalls can cause a significantly negative economic impact on businesses. The CDC estimates that salmonella infections cost more than $1 billion in medical costs and lost wages annually.

Find a Greener Alternative

There are plenty of toxic chemicals on the market that will kill dangerous pathogens on a hard surface but cannot be sprayed directly on or near food.  Chemicals that are permitted are typically diluted to the point where their efficacy is questionable. These chemicals are another industry albatross because they can be just as dangerous as the pathogens they're trying to eliminate, both in terms of their toxicity and industry reliance on questionable results.

Controlling these dangerous adulterants closer to the food source -- and wherever else they are lurking -- could be solved by applying greener product formulations approved for use on or near food without introducing a harmful toxins into the process.

Be Innovative

The food industry should take a cue from the consumer products industry, which has for years pursued more environmentally friendly alternatives. Major disinfectant lines began offering greener, safer products several years ago, including formulations from Clorox's GreenWorks line and Seventh Generation. Food producers, however, have relied on the same battery of harsh chemicals to disinfect their facilities from harmful bacteria, such as E.coli, Salmonella, Listeria and other pathogens.