The incidence of the most common foodborne illnesses has changed very little over the past three years, according to a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Although there have been significant declines in the incidence of some foodborne infections since surveillance began in 1996, these declines all occurred before 2004, the report said. The incidence of salmonella infections has remained between 14 and 16 cases per 100,000 persons since the first years of surveillance.

The findings come as two separate recalls are underway for products containing peanuts and pistachios that were processed at plants where salmonella has been found. "This year's report confirms a very important concern, especially with two high-profile salmonella outbreaks in the last year," said Robert Tauxe, M.D., M.P.H, deputy director of CDC's Division of Foodborne, Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases. "We recognize that we have reached a plateau in the prevention of foodborne disease and there must be new efforts to develop and evaluate food safety practices from the farm to the table."

About 76 million people in the U.S. suffer foodborne illnesses each year, 300,000 are hospitalized and 5,000 die, according to estimates by the CDC. Health experts, reacting to the report told the New York Times that the lack of improvement in food safety was disheartening.

Consumers Union supports a number of bills introduced in Congress to upgrade the nation's food safety system.