Food Recalls Have Reached the Highest Level Since the COVID Pandemic

If you are thinking that there has been an increase in food recalls lately, you are correct. Food recalls across the country continued to rise last year after dropping during the pandemic. Nearly half of those were due to undeclared allergens, according to a report released yesterday .

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recorded 313 food recalls and public health alerts in 2023, according to the report published by Public Interest Research Group.

But why, and are they still going up?

What the Data Shows

California retailers sold 139 of last year’s recalled products, and New York retailers sold 146, according to the group. Texas ranked third with 133 recalled products.

Related: Ham Recalled in 8 States and a Warning Has Been Issued

While the FDA recalled roughly the same number of products every year since the pandemic, the USDA issued 31% more recalls in 2023. The majority of those recalled products were found to have undeclared allergens. Listeria and salmonella were the second and third most common reasons for recalled foods.

The report found that in 2023, 154 recalls were issued for undeclared allergens, 47 for Listeria, 27 for salmonella, 19 for products that were not properly inspected, and 15 for containing foreign matter.

Many of the recalled foods, especially on the undeclared allergen list, were processed foods like cookies, candy, chips, and popcorn. Cantaloupe and other fruits were the next most commonly recalled foods.

Why is This Happening?

Sesame was added to the list of allergens that need to be disclosed in 2021, and it accounted for 27% of the undisclosed allergens in the recalls, according to the report. Still, some experts think that these alerts have more to do with a lack of attention from manufacturers, or a lack of understanding.

Of course, there was also a severe labor shortage that left many facilities understaffed or staffed with unskilled workers.

Unfortunately, early data shows that the recalls for this year may be higher than last year if something isn't done to slow them down.

In the first few months of 2024, there have been over a dozen new recalls. Some of those include one from Modesto-based Rizo Lopez Foods Inc., which was found to be the source of an outbreak of listeria food poisoning dating back to 2014. That recall is ongoing.

This week alone, there was a recall issued on enchiladas , one for cooking oil in glass jars that are at risk of breaking , a recall on over 85, 000 pounds of ham , and an update on recalled basil.

For more Delishably updates, be sure to follow us on Google News !