As has been revealed by a new study released on Wednesday by consumer and public health groups, Foodborne diseases end up costing the US about $152 Billion in health-related expenses every year.

With the study, food safety advocates are hoping that the efforts will be boosted in Congress to revamp the country's antiquated food safety system.

It has been discovered that every year, various pathogens, many of them still unknown, tend to creep into food supply, which results in millions of people falling sick. The money spend on these illnesses and their treatment then includes medical costs, lost productivity and quality-of-life, as has been revealed in the study from the Produce Safety Project.

"This is significantly more than previous official estimates and it demonstrates the serious burden that foodborne illness places on society", said Sandra Eskin, a spokeswoman with Make Our Food Safe Coalition.

The latest research into foodborne illnesses comes as the Government works to sketch legislation that would mark the first major revamp of the food safety system in 50 years.