Foodborne illness refers to any sickness that results from consuming a solid food, milk, water or other beverage, generally because it has been contaminated. The Centers for Disease Control estimated in 1999 that there are 76 million cases of foodborne illness annually in the United States, resulting in 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths. This is the most recent estimate available as of August 2009. The total impact of foodborne illness, however, is likely underestimated because many cases are not reported. Of those that are reported, the cause is only identifed in 19 percent of the illnesses and hospitalizations and 36 percent of the deaths, according to the CDC study.