Why food recalls are on the rise
E. coli, metals, and even dead bats have been found in recalled foods. In fact, food recalls are on the rise. But that may actually be a good sign. This is why.
USA TODAY
Food-related illnesses have been on the rise thanks to the massive rashes of the recall, an increase of 41% thanks to the massive rashes of the recall, according to the WatchDog Group US Public Interest Research Group Educational Fund. This trend comes as a result of the outbreak of highly publicly published foodborne diseases, such as those linked to McDonald’s last fall.
Consumer Report, a nonprofit known for its consumer policy and product testing and monitoring, released its annual Risk Food Report in April, naming its 10 foods most recalls and whether it is linked to the biggest disease outbreak of 2024.
Salmonella, Listeria and E. coli are attached to the entry, citing certain outbreaks that occurred last year in connection with foods such as deli meat, certain produce and dairy products.
Maintaining proper industry regulations is becoming increasingly difficult as key funding and staffing cuts down the number of federal agencies responsible for overseeing, testing and testing the safety of US food supplies. As a result, consumers may have to take more responsibility than ever in identifying risks that may be associated with certain foods.
However, this does not mean you need to swear by deli sandwiches, cucumber salads, or McDonald’s cheeseburgers forever. Here’s what you need to know.
What foods did the report put most at risk?
The consumer report list was based on the number of diseases and deaths related to food contamination in 2024, how the outbreak spread, the number of recalls, and the amount of foods that were recalled.
The report cited major recalls and outbreaks in 2024, including the fatal listeria outbreak caused by the McDonald’s E. coli outbreak associated with some onions in burgers.
The Consumer Report ranked dangerous foods as follows:
- Deli meat
- Cucumber
- Raw dairy products
- Cotija and Queso Fresco Cheese
- egg
- Onion
- Lush greenery
- Organic Carrots
- Organic Basil
- Ready to eat/cooked poultry and meat
Did all of these foods recall last year? Why are they “dangerous”?
All foods in the list above were linked to some kind of recall or outbreak in 2024.
Deli Meat had a very rough year as the outbreak of listeria on the boar heads killed 10 people and forced them to remind them of £7.2 million, as well as spurred the irregular closure of the entire Jarrat, Virginia factory last summer.
Deli meat is a somewhat “dangerous” food, as it is often associated with Listeria spreading. Listeria monocytogen, a bacteria that leads to listeria poisoning or listeriosis, is a tough germ that can survive at very low temperatures, but thrives in cool, moist places. It can live happily and happily on food in your or your grocery store storage area. And the mass production process of meat helps with many opportunities for contamination. The same problem applies to pre-cooked and ready-to-eat meat, like the millions of pounds recalled by Bruce Pack for Listeria.
Like cucumbers recalled for organic baby carrots caused by the outbreak of 113 people in 23 states, green greens and organic baby carrots resulting from the outbreak of multiple E. coli, produce is also affected by the onion onions painted with a quarter-pound pounder from McDonald’s.
Freshly served produce can be degraded with E. coli due to fecal contamination. Fecal contamination can occur through proximity to wastewater, growing area water, fertilizer, and livestock in habitat. If the eggs are cracked, if they are processed, the eggs can be contaminated in the same way.
Raw dairy products are not always safe to consume and are illegal to sell in some states, causing an outbreak of salmonella associated with producer Raw Farm, which in 2024 made at least 165 people sick, causing concerns about avian flu. The same danger is applied to Cotilla and Queso Fresco cheese, as it is made from raw milk, and one producer, Lizolopez Food, was closed in October after the cheese was linked to a long-standing listeria outbreak, killing two and making dozens of others sick.
Pasteurization of dairy products, or heating dairy products to temperatures high enough to kill harmful bacteria, became a regular part of the US commercial milk supply in the 1920s, and was widespread by the 1950s. As a result, diseases have generally spread through milk such as listeriosis, diphtheria and tuberculosis, but not so common. However, recent trends in misinformation have brought a resurgence to those looking for and consuming raw dairy products.
Is it safe to eat any of these foods?
To be considered “dangerous” does not mean that these foods are forever off limits. Instead, eating and preparing them may simply involve extra attention and adherence to the best food safety practices.
The good news is that depending on how you view it, US safety regulations have been historically created and encouraged by harmful incidents such as recalls and outbreaks. In theory, the 2024 outbreak should lead to more targeted adjustments.
“It’s probably the safest time to buy a boar head,” Martin Bucknavage, one expert, a senior food safety extension associate with the Pennsylvania Department of Food Science, told USA Today shortly after the peak of boar head appearance.
“One will close a problematic facility. Second, companies that have experienced such issues will need to double check their systems to ensure a safe product.
“In fact, this is really the history of US regulations. Most food regulations changes occur in light of issues such as outbreaks.”
Consumers should know that “there is always uncertainty when consuming food, and that every individual needs to determine risk tolerance,” Janet Buffer, senior laboratory manager at the Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security at George Washington University’s School of Public Health, told USA Today after McDonald’s appearance.
Reduce the risk
What is the best way to stay safe? Wash produce, meat and other foods thoroughly to an appropriate internal temperature, wash your hands frequently, disinfect cooking surfaces and tools after use, refrigerate food properly, and avoid cross-contamination with other foods of raw meat. There are other tips on the CDC website.
