Main causes of food recalls – and the states most affected

If you feel like you’re hearing more about recalled foods lately, you’re not wrong — the total number of food recalls increased by 20 percent between 2020 and 2023 — and the past few months have seen massive recalls affecting everything from baby formula to deli meats. Just as there are certain foods that are recalled more often than others, there are also certain reasons why those foods are recalled frequently.

There are a variety of reasons for food recalls, but some problems, such as mislabeling, are more common than others, according to new data from Trace One, a platform that specializes in consumer goods manufacturing and retail. The team at Trace One analyzed four years of recall data from the Food & Drug Administration to identify the most common reasons for food recalls and which states are most frequently affected by these recalls.

Causes of food recalls

Almost all food recalls over the past four years can be attributed to one of the following reasons.

Allergen contamination

Allergen contamination has been the reason for nearly 40 percent of recalls in recent years. Foods can become contaminated with certain allergens, such as wheat, nuts and dairy, through cross-contamination during the manufacturing and production processes. Since many food allergies are highly sensitive, even trace amounts of the above allergens (and others) can trigger severe reactions in consumers, which is why frequent recalls are necessary.

Bacterial contamination

This category includes harmful pathogens such as salmonella, E. coli and listeria and accounts for more than 21 percent of food recalls since 2020. These pathogens, which can infect raw meat, fruits and vegetables, dairy products and more, can cause serious gastrointestinal problems, long-term health complications and even death. This is especially true for vulnerable populations such as young children, immunocompromised individuals and older adults.

Foreign body

11.6 percent of recent recalls involved the presence of foreign objects such as pieces of plastic or metal. These harmful objects occasionally find their way into some foods due to errors in the production process and can cause choking, tooth damage or internal injuries if ingested.

Incorrect labeling

Mislabeling can occur when food labels are accidentally missing some ingredients or when food labels are placed on the wrong product and do not list the correct ingredients. This can be very dangerous for people with severe food allergies. According to the data, about 9 percent of recent recalls were due to mislabeling.

spoilage

Spoilage – when food spoils at some point during the manufacturing or distribution process – has accounted for just under 2 percent of recent food recalls. Spoilage can occur when food packaging becomes dented or damaged, causing the food inside to spoil. Eating spoiled food can cause gastrointestinal problems and should understandably be avoided.

Lead contamination

Although lead contamination accounts for only 1.7 percent of recent recalls, it has made headlines in recent months, prompting recalls of applesauce pouches and ground cinnamon. Although lead and other metals occur naturally in these foods, they were recalled because they contained too much lead, which can have adverse health effects.

States most frequently affected by recalls

Food recalls affect different areas of the country depending on where the food was produced, packaged and distributed. Some recalls are nationwide, while others are limited to specific states or areas of the country. The states most affected by food recalls over the past four years are listed below:

1. California
2. new York
3. Pennsylvania
4. Illinois
5. Texas
6. Florida
7. Ohio
8. Washington
9. Georgia
10. Virginia