New Study Reveals Most Dangerous States for Food Safety
- A new study reveals Florida as the most dangerous state for food safety in the U.S., with frequent disease outbreaks and the highest rate of salmonella infections in the top-10.
- Home to more fast-food chains than anywhere else in America and leading in foodborne illness outbreaks, California comes as the second-riskiest state for food safety.
- Michigan is the third state with potential risk of danger in food consumption, scoring high because of prevalent food insecurity.
A recent study by ABM Equipment ranked the US states with the most dangerous food. Key metrics, including the number of fast-food chains, obesity rate, existence of food safety programs, foodborne illness reports, food insecurity rates and salmonella rates per 100K people were analyzed to measure health measures and food consumption across the states. Data was collected from open resources like Statista, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The safety score was calculated, taking into account all of the described metrics. For the purposes of identifying where food poses the biggest risk, the states were ranked from the lowest safety score to the highest.
Key findings summed up:
| States | No. of Fastfood chains per 10000 people | Obesity Rate | Food insecurity rate | Foodborne disease outbreaks, a year | Salmonella rates, per 100K | Safety Score |
| Florida | 6.90 | 31.6 | 9% | 65 | 27.2 | 28.29 |
| California | 7.92 | 28.1 | 9.60% | 107 | 11.9 | 28.42 |
| Michigan | 6.07 | 34.5 | 11.40% | 52 | 10.6 | 35.95 |
| Colorado | 7.45 | 25 | 10.50% | 44 | 12.6 | 38.07 |
| New York | 8.64 | 30.1 | 10.30% | 47 | 11.8 | 38.39 |
| Kentucky | 7.71 | 37.7 | 12.30% | 7 | 16.1 | 39.29 |
| Tennessee | 7.45 | 38.9 | 11.20% | 17 | 16.6 | 39.32 |
| Hawaii | 10.38 | 25.9 | 9.10% | 20 | 21.4 | 40.09 |
| Washington | 6.26 | 31.7 | 7.90% | 67 | 10.4 | 40.31 |
| New Mexico | 6.94 | 32.4 | 11.50% | 9 | 16.3 | 40.41 |
*See the full list here.
Florida tops the list as America’s most dangerous state for food safety with the lowest safety score of 28.29. Florida faces major food safety risks due to its lack of a specialized safety program, the highest salmonella rates on the list at 27 per 100K people, and a high obesity rate. With 65 annual foodborne disease outbreaks affecting its 22 million residents, Florida places itself as the most vulnerable state to food-related risks.
California ranks second among the states with the most dangerous food, scoring 28.42. The state has over 30K fast-food establishments and a 28% obesity rate poses serious risks to the population’s health. High food insecurity rates and the highest number of foodborne outbreaks make California face major challenges in food safety.
Michigan comes third with a safety score of 35.95. The state’s food insecurity rate is at 11%, creating a serious health concern in the area. Its 10 million residents face risks from 52 disease outbreaks in one year, forming one of the nation’s most dangerous food environments. The absence of a dedicated food safety program and the troubling salmonella rates make Michigan a critical spot for food safety dangers.
Colorado claims fourth place with a composite score of 38.07. Despite its lower obesity rate, 10.5% of the population still face food insecurity and widespread salmonella cases at 12.6 indicate significant food safety risks. Recording 44 annual foodborne disease outbreaks and zero specialized safety programs, Colorado stands out as one of the most concerning states for food safety risks.
New York stands as a fifth-most dangerous state for food consumption scoring 38.39. With a dense network of over 17,000 fast-food establishments serving 19.5 million residents, New York faces significant challenges in maintaining consistent food safety standards. New York is spotted as a critical area for food safety concerns with its concerning 30.1% obesity rate paired with high food insecurity.
Kentucky ranks sixth with a composite score of 39.29. The most alarming indicator for the state is its food insecurity rate of 12.30%, the highest percentage among top 10 states. With 7.71 fast-food establishments per capita and high salmonella infection rate, Kentucky demonstrates critical gaps in food safety.
Tennessee, ranking seventh with a score of 39.32, faces critical food safety challenges, with the ranking’s highest obesity rate at 38.9%. With over 5,300 fast-food locations, high food insecurity and no dedicated safety oversight, the state poses significant health risks to its 7.1 million residents.
Hawaii takes the eighth place with a safety score of 40.09. Despite its smaller population, the state’s 21.4 salmonella rates rank the second-highest on the list. Hawaii faces fewer problems with obesity and food insecurity but there are still serious food safety challenges due to the absence of safety programs.
Washington ranks ninth scoring 40.31. While the U.S. capital shows the lowest food insecurity rate at 7.90%, its 67 foodborne outbreaks – second only to California – raise serious concerns. With 4,888 fast-food establishments and a 31.7% obesity rate, combined, Washington demonstrates significant challenges in its food safety concerns, having zero dedicated food safety programs.
New Mexico completes the top ten of the states with the most dangerous food with a composite score of 40.41. The state’s troubling combination of high food insecurity rates and salmonella cases creates significant health risks for its residents. With a concerning obesity rate of 32.4% and the lack of any specialized food safety program, New Mexico ensures its position as one of the nation’s most critical zones for food-related issues.
A spokesperson from ABM Equipment commented on the study: “A sad reality exists about food safety in our most populated states. Florida and California serve massive populations without proper safety systems in place, while dealing with many foodborne illness outbreaks. What’s particularly worrying is how common factors like high fast-food density, widespread obesity, and lack of safety programs create dangerous conditions for millions of Americans. The fact that smaller states like Michigan show such high risks tells us this isn’t just about population size – it’s about fundamental gaps in how we protect people’s health when it comes to food safety”.
Story credit: https://abmequipment.com/
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
