OTTAWA — A new food safety report released by the Conference Board of Canada says rates of food-borne illnesses in Canada are higher than in the United States.

The survey by the Centre for Food in Canada says 8.5 per cent of Canadian adults have experienced a food-borne illness in the last year severe enough to cause them to miss work.

The report says half or more of all cases of food-borne illnesses in Canada are picked up in restaurants, cafeterias, and other food service providers.

Restaurant inspection systems are seen as too sporadic to have an impact on restaurants' day-to-day food safety practices.

The report comes on the second day of a two day Canadian Food Summit conference held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.