(Evangelyn Rodriguez) Foodborne illness is a major concern for the food industry and regulatory agencies around the world. The most common cause of foodborne illness, or food poisoning, is consuming spoiled foods or products contaminated by pathogenic microorganisms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), foodborne illness is a costly public health problem that, while preventable, can still claim lives if not treated promptly. In the U.S., one in six Americans get sick due to food poisoning and around 3,000 die each year.