( CNN ) -- Salmonellosis is a nasty illness . People infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea , a fever and abdominal cramps that usually last for four to seven days . The dangerous bacteria is found in the food we eat , usually chicken , beef or eggs that have been contaminated with animal feces . And a new report from Pew Charitable Trusts says the U.S. Department of Agriculture 's Food Safety and Inspection Service ( FSIS ) is n't doing enough to keep our food Salmonella-free . `` When more than 500 people get sick from two outbreaks associated with chicken that meets federal safety standards , it is clear that those standards are not effectively protecting public health , '' Sandra Eskin , director of Pew 's food safety project , said in a statement . Every year , approximately 42,000 cases of salmonellosis are reported in the United States , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , but the actual number of infections may be much higher . The majority of outbreaks over the last two decades have been linked to live poultry . Pew researchers specifically looked at two recent outbreaks that were connected to chicken produced by Foster Farms in California . Between June 2012 and May 2013 , 134 people became infected with Salmonella Heidelberg -- mostly in Oregon and Washington , according to the CDC . Tests identified the outbreak strain in four samples of chicken that were traced back to two Foster Farms slaughterhouses . Then in the summer and fall of 2013 , 389 people in 23 states and Puerto Rico became sickened with varying strains of Salmonella Heidelberg . CDC investigators determined consumption of Foster Farms chicken was the likely source of the outbreak . `` In neither instance did FSIS ask Foster Farms to institute a recall or stop shipping potentially contaminated chicken to market , '' the Pew report authors wrote . No deaths were reported in either outbreak . The second outbreak is ongoing , according to the CDC , which updated its numbers Thursday . An additional 27 people have fallen ill since November . The FSIS acted as aggressively as possible under the authority they had during the Foster Farms outbreaks , said Brian Ronholm , USDA 's deputy undersecretary for food safety . He said the USDA `` appreciates '' Pew 's report since it `` supports the efforts we already have under way . '' The government agency has a proposal under department review now that would require all poultry slaughterhouses to prevent contamination by conducting microbial testing at two points , Ronholm said . It would also authorize inspectors to suspend operations in slaughter facilities that can not demonstrate they are controlling salmonella . In a separate paper , Consumer Reports said it found `` worrisome '' levels of bacteria in tests conducted on 316 chicken breasts , including 64 from brands that use no antibiotics in raising chickens and 24 organic samples . `` Every one of the four major brands we tested contained worrisome amounts of bacteria , even the chicken breasts labeled 'no antibiotics ' or 'organic , ' `` Consumer Reports said . The most common bacteria found was enterococcus , a fecal contaminant , in 79.8 % . Next was E. coli , in 65.2 % . Campylobacter , salmonella and staphylococcus aureus were also present , according to the report . In response to Consumer Reports , the National Chicken Council said poultry producers spend tens of millions of dollars each year researching food safety , which has helped significantly decrease food-borne pathogens . `` Americans eat about 160 million servings of chicken every single day , '' the council said in a statement , `` and 99.9 % of those servings are consumed safely . '' The USDA does not require poultry plants to treat the presence of salmonella as a significant risk , according to the Pew Report , and has no standards for chicken parts , which are purchased more widely than whole chickens . FSIS notifies facilities before conducting an investigation . Even if tests show unsafe amounts of salmonella , the authors wrote , FSIS can not close down the facility . Salmonella is estimated to cause more than 1 million food-borne illnesses every year , according to the Pew Report , and health-related costs run as high as $ 11 billion yearly . The Pew report makes several recommendations for improving USDA 's `` Salmonella Action Plan , '' which the agency posted earlier this month : . -- Change salmonella performance standards so they are updated regularly , enforceable and tied to public health outcomes . -- Consider establishing limits on the amount of salmonella that can be present in chickens as they enter slaughterhouses . -- Conduct unannounced testing in poultry producing facilities . -- Close plants that are under investigation and keep them closed until `` adequate control measures are in place . '' `` The contaminated product is n't supposed to reach consumers -- that 's the point , '' Eskin said . `` You see this is a very complicated bacteria . It 's a challenge , and we have n't gotten it right yet . '' Ronholm could not offer a time frame for when the FSIS food safety proposal may go into effect . He said it 's important for consumers to remain diligent about food safety practices , including washing their hands and cooking food to the right temperatures .
It causes diarrhea , fever and abdominal pain for 4 to 7 days . Pew report says USDA is n't doing enough to keep our farms free from the bacteria . The authors looked at two recent outbreaks related to Foster Farms chicken .