Pork. Lettuce. Prepared foods. Pantry staples. Check the headlines — or your inbox — and it can feel like another food is being recalled every week. That steady stream of warnings may leave consumers wondering: Is something happening to the U.S. food supply? Is our food becoming less safe, or are we simply getting better at finding problems?
The answer isn’t as simple as the number of recall notices might suggest. Today’s food supply is highly interconnected, with products often grown or produced in one place, processed in another and distributed across the country. At the same time, advances in laboratory testing, genetic sequencing and disease surveillance have made it possible to identify contamination and connect illnesses to specific foods faster and more precisely than in the past.
Wade Syers, a food safety specialist with Michigan State University Extension, explains what’s behind food recalls, why a single contamination event can reach consumers across multiple states, how imported foods are monitored and what consumers should do when something in their refrigerator or pantry is recalled.
It seems like we’re hearing about a new food recall every week. Are food recalls actually increasing, or are consumers simply hearing more about them?
It’s likely a combination of both. Recalls are a normal part of a food-safety system that is actively looking for problems. What people often don’t see is that many recalls are initiated voluntarily by companies after testing identifies a potential issue before widespread illness occurs. Additionally, recalls have received much more media attention recently, and information can spread instantly through news websites, social media, retailer alerts and government notification systems.
What are the most common reasons foods are recalled, and what are the biggest food-safety threats you’re seeing right now?
Common reasons for recalls include undeclared allergens, contamination by disease-causing microorganisms, and manufacturing or labeling errors. From a public health perspective, some of the biggest concerns continue to be foodborne pathogens linked to fresh produce and ready-to-eat foods.
Our food supply seems particularly vulnerable right now. Have changes in how food is grown, processed and distributed made it easier for one contamination event to affect people across the country?
Modern food systems have tremendous benefits, including year-round availability, affordability and distribution efficiency. However, because of this, contamination events can have wider geographic reach. A product may be grown in one location, processed in another, distributed through a national supply chain, and consumed across dozens of states. That doesn’t mean food is less safe than it was in the past; it simply means food systems are highly interconnected.
Could better testing and surveillance be one reason we’re seeing more recalls?
Yes. Over time, we have seen improved laboratory methods, sequencing, traceback investigations and disease surveillance dramatically improve our ability to identify connections between illnesses and food. In some cases, contamination that may have gone undetected years ago can now be identified and investigated much more quickly.
The Trump administration has reduced staffing and resources at federal agencies involved in food safety and disease surveillance. What role, if any, could those cuts play in preventing, detecting and responding to foodborne illness and recalls?
Food safety depends on many layers, including industry food-safety programs, state and local health departments, federal regulators, laboratories and disease surveillance systems.
The U.S. imports a significant amount of its food. How is imported food inspected, and what happens to food-safety risk when there are fewer inspections of foreign facilities?
Imported foods are subject to U.S. food-safety requirements. Oversight includes foreign facility inspections, import screening, product sampling, documentation review and importer verification activities. These activities help identify potential food-safety issues before products reach consumers and are an important part of maintaining safety in the food supply.
When consumers hear that a food has been recalled, what should they do? Is throwing the product away enough or are there other steps they should take?
When you hear about a recall, first, verify whether the product in your home matches the recall notice exactly, including the brand, product name, lot code, package size and use-by date. If it does match, do not eat it. Follow the instructions in the recall notice, which usually involve throwing the product away or returning it to the retailer for a refund.
Should Americans be more concerned about the safety of the food supply today than they were a few years ago, and what can consumers realistically do to reduce their risk?
I wouldn’t say people should be overly concerned, but they should remain informed. The good news is that consumers can do a lot to reduce their risk. Stay aware of recalls, wash your hands before handling food, avoid cross-contamination, cook foods to recommended temperatures, refrigerate perishable foods promptly, and pay particular attention to food-safety recommendations if you are at higher risk or caring for someone who is. These everyday practices remain some of the most effective ways to protect yourself and your family.
