What Is a Food Recall? Causes, Classes & Key Data

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Everything You Need to Know About Food Recalls: Causes, Classes, and Key Statistics

A food recall is the removal of a product from sale because it poses a safety risk or violates FDA or USDA regulations. The three main triggers are microbial contamination, undeclared allergens, and foreign material, and any one of them can affect everyday products from brands you recognize. In 2024 alone, the FDA and USDA issued 296 recall announcements, and hospitalizations from recalled food more than doubled year-over-year, reaching 487 cases (U.S. PIRG Education Fund, February 2025). 

Recalls are almost always voluntary, initiated by the manufacturer before illness is confirmed, but that doesn’t mean the risk is minor. They affect everyone in the supply chain: from the producer managing logistics and regulatory compliance, to the consumer who bought the product last week. Below, we cover what causes food recalls, how they are classified by severity, and which food categories are affected most often. 

Food Recalls at a Glance

What is a Food Recall 

A food recall occurs when a distributor or a manufacturer removes a given food from sale voluntarily or at the request of the FDA or USDA (or another responsible governmental agency) due to safety concerns. Understanding what is a food recall, and how it differs from a public health alert or market withdrawal is essential for both consumers and food businesses. 

The FDA regulates most food products. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) regulates meat, poultry, and egg products. If a company refuses to recall, both agencies have legal authority to detain and seize the product in commerce. 

The most common foods that get recalled are: 

• Meat 
• Fruits and vegetables 
• Seafood 
• Dairy products 
• Nuts 
• Baked goods 
• Pet Food 
• Baby Food 

If a given food is recalled, authorities advise consumers to return it or dispose of it.

1. Food Recall Classifications: Class I, II, and III 

All food recalls in the US are assigned one of three severity classes by the FDA or USDA. The class determines the urgency of the response and the scope of public notification. 

Most high-profile recalls; Listeria or Salmonella outbreaks are Class I. Allergen mislabeling cases are typically Class II. Class III recalls involve minor issues with no health risk (USDA FSIS) 

Why Are There So Many Food Recalls? 

Between 2020 and 2023, the total number of food recalls issued by the FDA and USDA grew from 454 to 547; an increase of more than 20%, according to a Trace One analysis published by Food Safety Magazine. In 2024, the combined total was 296, roughly consistent with recent years.  

The increase in food recalls does not necessarily mean an increase in pathogens in the food supply. Most food recalls are precautionary and are not associated with any illness — and knowing what is a food recall versus an actual outbreak matters here. More recalls also indicate that more companies are willing to recall their products when they realize consumer safety may be at risk. 

Several additional factors drive the numbers up: 

• More advanced testing: Whole genome sequencing now allows the CDC and FDA to link illness cases to a specific food source far more reliably than before, outbreaks that previously went undetected are now identified and traced. 
• Cascade recalls: A single contaminated ingredient used across multiple product lines can trigger dozens of individual recall events simultaneously. 

Global supply chains: With 59% of fresh fruit and 35% of vegetables imported, contamination can enter the supply chain at multiple points across complex international networks. 

1. Contamination with Dangerous Microorganisms 

In 2024, pathogen contamination accounted for 39% of all recalls; up more than 40% compared to 2023. The three most common bacteria involved are Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, and E. coli (STEC). 

Some of the biggest food recalls fall in this category. For example: 

• The Peanut Corporation of America: The company’s peanut-based products were contaminated with Salmonella. More than 3,200 products were recalled, causing a major financial hit to the peanut industry. Additionally, 9 deaths and 600 cases of Salmonella sickness were reported across 46 states. 
• Menu Foods: The recall involved pulling over 90 dog and cat food brands out of the market. The reason? Gluten in these foods was discovered to contain melamine – a dangerous chemical used in plastic production. This caused various diseases and deaths in many animals (10,000 reported cases) across North America. 

• Boar’s Head deli meats (2024): A Listeria outbreak linked to deli meats caused 61 illnesses and 10 deaths, one of the most significant Listeria events in recent years (U.S. PIRG Education Fund, 2025) 

2. Undeclared Allergens 

In 2024, undeclared allergens were the single biggest cause of food recalls, accounting for 34% of all recall events (101 recalls), according to U.S. PIRG Education Fund. This marks a shift from earlier years when pathogen contamination led the count. 

Allergen recalls are triggered when a product contains a major allergen: peanuts, tree nuts, milk, wheat, soy, sesame, fish, or shellfish that is not declared on the label. Common causes include mislabeled packaging, shared production lines without adequate cleaning, and ingredient substitutions not reflected on the label. 

For example, in May 2023, FSIS pulled out a frozen meatloaf product that did not include all ingredients and allergens. The product was labeled “Meatloaf & Tomato Sauce Mixed Rice and Spinach,” but it did not disclose it contained milk. There were no reported cases of adverse reactions. 

3. Presence of Foreign Matter 

Foreign matter such as glass, metal, or plastic particles is another serious concern and cause for a recall. Consuming contaminated food can expose users to serious health risks.  

Some notorious examples of food recall due to foreign contaminants are: 

• Co-op: The retailer released 12-pack British Beef Meatballs contaminated with plastic and carrot cake, which could have contained glass pieces. All products were recalled, and the retailer issued warning notices to all stores. 
• Danone: The Danone yogurt producer recalled three batches of dairy products due to the possibility of metal contamination. 
• In April 2026, USDA FSIS also issued a public health alert for frozen dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets due to lead contamination, a reminder that toxic material contamination is not limited to traditional foreign objects.  

Types of Food Recall

Food recalls can happen on either consumer or trade level. Let’s take a look at each of these:

1. Consumer Level 

This type of food recall happens at the production, distribution, and retail levels. This includes pulling out products that have already been sold and are in the possession of consumers. 

A few common foods recalled at this level include: 

1.1 Pet Food Recall  

Between 2018 and 2022, over $52 billion worth of pet food was sold in the US. About 81 million pounds of this food was recalled.  

Out of this: 

• 60 million pounds of food was recalled due to aflatoxin contamination (one of the most common dog and cat food recall reasons). 
• Over 12 million pounds were recalled for containing excess amounts of vitamins (mostly vitamin D). 
• 9 million pounds were recalled for containing pathogenic bacteria. 
• 23 thousand pounds were contaminated with foreign objects. 

The three main manufacturers who had the most amount of pet food recalled were: 

• Midwestern Pet Food (over 64.8 million pounds of dry food): Due to aflatoxin and pathogenic bacteria contamination 
• Hill’s Pet Food (over 10.8 million pounds of canned food): Due to excess vitamin D 
• Sunshine Mills (over 2.8 million pounds of dry food): Due to aflatoxin and pathogenic bacteria contamination 

1.2 Whole Foods Recall  

Whole foods are some of the most recalled foods. That’s because whole foods like vegetables, fruits, meats, grains, and nuts can get contaminated with different bacteria.  

Some of the most serious whole foods recalls are linked to: 

• Leafy greens: Over 4 million cases of leafy greens were recalled in 2021. This is one of the most often recalled whole foods, as contamination can quickly spread in the processing plant.  
• Fruits: Fruits like peaches, watermelon, and papayas are all vulnerable to Salmonella contamination. For example, in 2020 alone, about 113 million pounds of peaches were recalled. Other fruits like melons, watermelons, and papayas usually get contaminated when they’re cut presale. If the surface of the fruit is not washed well, the bacteria can easily get into the fleshy part of the cut pieces.  
• Meat: Raw meat like ground beef, poultry, and turkey can easily contaminate with Salmonella at the processing plant where the meat is precut. In 2022, manufacturers recalled 28 thousand pounds of ground beef, 195 thousand pounds of chicken, and 389 thousand pounds of turkey meat. 
• Cucumbers : A Salmonella outbreak linked to whole cucumbers grown by Agrotato, S.A. de C.V. in Sonora, Mexico resulted in 113 cases, 28 hospitalizations, and 0 deaths across 23 states (CDA, 2025). Multiple companies issued recalls. The investigation was closed in January 2025.  

1.3 Baby Food Recall 

Around 95% of the 168 baby foods tested by HBBF contained toxic heavy metals (including lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium). 

Some of the brands that reported high levels of toxic heavy metals include:  

• HappyBABY 
• Beech-Nut 
• Earth’s Best Organic 
• Plum Organics 
• Parent’s Choice 
• Sprout Organic Foods 

Did you know: In 2021, when Gerber and other dangerous baby food brands were asked to recall their products, they didn’t issue such a recall. 

2. Trade Level 

This involves removing the food from distributors and retailers (this includes hotels, restaurants, and hospitals) and typically involves food that’s sold wholesale. 

Due to the larger scale, food producers must be well-prepared for a situation where they need to recall a specific food. Here are a few steps that can be taken on such occasions: 

• Plan for a recall: Whether you have never dealt with a recall or think it’s unlikely to happen to you, it’s always best to have a plan of action in case the worst happens. Think: What’s the first thing to do when you discover you need to recall your products? Whom do you contact first? How do you pull out your products efficiently?  
• Contact all affected parties: Once you find out that you need to do a food recall, you need to contact all affected distributors and retailers. The goal is to inform them as soon as possible to minimize risk.  
• Pull the recalled products: This is one of the most challenging steps. How do you recall your products quickly and efficiently? You need to think of the logistics and infrastructure you will need to do that. If you feel overwhelmed by all the things you need to think about and organize, you might want to opt for a professional food recall management company.  
• Figure out what to do with the recalled products: Once you deal with pulling the food off the shelves, you must figure out what to do with it.  

What is the Best Way to Handle Recalled Food Items 

There are a few crucial dos and don’ts and other details around the logistics of food recall operations. 

Additionally, there’s the question of what to do with all the recalled food. More often than not, you need to dispose of it in a landfill or incinerator.  

But on rare occasions, you might be able to turn the food waste into an environmentally friendly solution.  

Not sure whether your recalled food can be turned into something useful? Use the services of a knowledgeable food waste recycling company like Skip Shapiro Enterprises to handle all your food recall needs. 

What to Do When a Food Recall Occurs: Dos and Don’ts 

Dos: 

• Act quickly: Time is essential for minimizing potential risks, so be ready to act immediately after receiving information about a food recall. 
• Set up recall procedures: Have a clear plan set in place in case a food recall happens. Outline all key steps and stakeholders, including their roles and responsibilities. 
• Communicate effectively: Inform all affected parties (suppliers, distributors, retailers, and consumers) and give them clear instructions on what the next steps are. 
• Ensure compliance: Collaborate closely with all food safety-related regulatory bodies to ensure your food recall process complies with all regulations. 
• Remove affected products: Remove the recalled products from all supply chain distribution channels to eliminate the risk of consumption. 
• Conduct thorough investigations: Define what caused the issue in the first place and why the product was recalled. Take action to prevent the same problem from occurring in the future. 

Don’ts:  

• Delay or dismiss the recall: Ignoring or delaying a food recall can lead to serious public health risks and possible legal implications for your company. 
• Fail to provide accurate information: Do not try to hide any information. Be honest and transparent about the incident to all your stakeholders. 
• Continue selling the recalled products: Continuing sales of recalled items can lead to serious illness or injury for the consumers, so you should avoid this at all costs.  
• Make faulty claims: Remain transparent and honorable to all stakeholders. Address consumer concerns but avoid making any misleading claims. 
• Neglect documentation: Keep a detailed record of each step of the food recall process – this is crucial evidence of regulatory compliance.  

Need Help Managing a Food Recall? 

Managing a food recall operation can be quite a hassle – you must take care of this huge batch of products, pull it out from all distributors you initially shipped it to, and destroy (or process) the recalled items. And on top of that, you’re at a financial loss.  

Food recalls involve complex (and expensive) logistics at each stage of the distribution pipeline – from the manufacturing plant and warehouses to the distributors, retailers, and consumers. 

Besides, there are all the legal details surrounding food recall initiatives, as the process is not as simple as taking products off the shelves. You need to do your due diligence to notify all concerned parties and ensure all chain of custody reports are properly documented and compliant with all regulations. 

The best way to handle such a complex procedure is by trusting an expert food recall management company like Skip Shapiro Enterprises. We can handle the whole recall process, including logistics, compliance, disposal, tracking, reporting, and even food waste recycling.  

Meanwhile, you can focus on eliminating the problem that caused the food recall in the first place and continuing all your regular operations. 

Entrust Your Food Recall Operations to the Experts 

Let’s face it – no one likes to go through a food recall.  

But when you do, it’s important to act promptly, communicate effectively, and stay in compliance with all regulations. With Shapiro’s help, you can rest assured that all food recall intricacies will be handled with utter professionalism.  

Want a hassle-free food recall execution plan? Call us today, and we’ll handle everything from logistics to disposal. 

Food Recall FAQs