Why Are There So Many Food Recalls Right Now?

Everywhere I look, I’m being bombarded with news about recalls. Between cucumbers with salmonella, carrots with E. coli and sliced deli meats with listeria, it’s starting to feel like a gamble every time I go grocery shopping.

Recalls do seem to be dominating headlines lately—but why? Do Facebook and news apps really want to make sure I hear about recalls, or has the number of cases actually spiked?

“Food recalls occur almost every day,” says Mitzi Baum, CEO of Stop Foodborne Illness, a national public health nonprofit advocating for effective food safety policies. “Consumers are hearing more reports of food recalls because the products that have been recalled recently are commonly purchased foods (such as carrots and chicken) and product brands that are well-regarded and recognized by consumers (including Boar’s Head and McDonald’s).”

In 2023, the number of recalls in the U.S. reached its highest level since the pandemic, according to FDA data. 2024 already has more recall activity than 2023 (though overall, numbers were higher from 2013 through 2020).

What is causing the recent outbreaks?

E. coli, salmonella and listeria are all bacteria that can enter the food supply and make us quite ill—even causing death in some cases. Baum says there may be more testing of products for specific bacteria. When food manufacturers test more often, there’s a greater likelihood of finding an issue.

When our food safety systems fail, and illnesses and deaths are reported linked back to one product, a recall is instituted and media coverage increases significantly.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that some wildlife, livestock and humans are carriers of pathogenic E. coli and can contaminate meats and food crops. Contamination typically happens when feces come into contact with food or water—and food handlers can spread infections when they do not use proper hand-washing hygiene.

Similarly, the FDA says salmonella can be spread by food handlers who do not wash their hands and/or the surfaces and tools they use between food preparation steps and when people eat raw or undercooked foods.

Listeria is a bit different. Farm animals can carry Listeria monocytogenes in their intestines without becoming sick, and it may be spread to meat and dairy products. Outbreaks of listeriosis are associated with ready-to-eat foods such as hot dogs, lunch meats, cold cuts and other deli-style meat and poultry.

Should consumers be worried?

It’s important to note that not all recalls are related to dangerous outbreaks. For instance, plenty of recalls have nothing to do with bacteria or illness—like the Costco recall of 80,000 pounds of butter due to a labeling error that failed to disclose an allergen. And not all recalls are severe. That’s why the FDA and USDA use a three-level class system to categorize the threat.

Recall numbers have trended up over the last few years but are still lower than pre-pandemic levels. How is that possible?

“One of the reasons could be that food manufacturers, growers and distributors test more often and use better testing methods,” says Baum. That means more issues are being identified.

It’s important to stay attentive and aware, but there’s nothing out of the ordinary to panic about. Though major recalls often make the news, there is another way to stay on top of this information. The FDA lists all of its recalls, market withdrawals and safety alerts on its website.