According to the Stericycle ExpertSOLUTIONS Recall Index, there were 246 FDA food recalls in the fourth quarter of last year. That’s an increase of 12% over the previous quarter and the highest number we’ve seen since at least Q1 2010.
At the same time, USDA recalls fell 16% to 32.
For FDA recalls, the top 3 food categories were:
- Supplements (28.2%)
- Baked goods (27.9%)
- Eggs (15.1%)
And the top 3 causes were:
- Bacterial contamination (43.8%)
- Undeclared allergens (27.6%)
- Quality issues (16.2%)
Meanwhile, for USDA recalls, there was no competition: 82.1% of the recalled pounds were poultry, and 70.5% were due to quality issues.
Commenting on the report in Food Business News, Stericycle ExpertSOLUTIONS VP Mike Good noted that the increase doesn’t mean there were more issues, just that “issues were pinpointed more often and more accurately.”
“Much of it has to do with food testing and the advancements being made,” he said.
See the full report for more details about recalls across all product categories.
