The list of recent food recalls is extensive and continues to expand: a renowned brand of deli meats; finely chopped onions on a well-liked burger; frozen waffles and bagged organic carrots under various labels sold nationwide; and most recently, ready-to-eat meat and poultry products available both in stores and online. While some of these recalls have resulted in illnesses, hospitalizations, and fatalities, others were initiated before any impact on consumers was reported. As we prepare for holiday feasts with loved ones, food safety is likely a pressing concern. With the recent spate of recalls and the associated outbreaks of illness and deaths, it might seem that our food supply is becoming less secure. However, are these incidents increasing in frequency? "The straightforward answer is no," according to food safety expert Dr. Donald Schaffner, who recently discussed this with Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta on his podcast, Chasing Life. Schaffner, a department chair and distinguished professor at Rutgers University, has dedicated decades to the study of foodborne illnesses and co-hosts the podcast "Risky or Not?"

"I believe outbreaks are random occurrences—sometimes they are spaced out, and other times they cluster closely together," he explained. "I genuinely think it's just a matter of coincidence." Despite this perspective, Schaffner acknowledges that there is always room for improvement in food safety. "While some people claim we have the safest food supply globally, I am not among them," he stated.

Nevertheless, Schaffner points out that the Food Safety Modernization Act, enacted by President Barack Obama in 2011, has contributed to a safer food supply by establishing over a dozen new regulations covering areas such as good manufacturing practices, agricultural water, sanitary transportation, and hazard analysis and risk mitigation strategies to safeguard our food. However, these regulations have taken time to be fully developed, finalized, and implemented. For instance, the Produce Safety rule, aimed at preventing issues like the chopped onions incident, was implemented in 2016. "When these regulations were first introduced, they were the inaugural on-farm food safety regulations that farmers had ever encountered," he said. "It's taking time for them to fully understand and adapt to these changes."

Another factor contributing to the increase in recalls—and possibly the perception of a less safe food supply—has been advancements in technology used to detect outbreaks and trace their potential sources. "The CDC is becoming increasingly adept at identifying outbreaks thanks to improvements in whole genome sequencing," Schaffner said. "In the past, we might have had similar outbreaks, but we couldn't connect them because we didn't realize that all these different individuals across various states fell ill around the same time from consuming the same food."

This information might lead you to wonder how to navigate food recalls effectively. Schaffner offers the following five recommendations:

1. Some recalls are not associated with illnesses. "Just because a food product is recalled, it doesn't mean that anyone has fallen ill from consuming it," Schaffner clarified via email. "Most recalls are not linked to outbreaks or illnesses."
2. Outbreaks are distinct from recalls. "During an outbreak, it is confirmed that these individuals consumed these specific foods," Schaffner explained. Initially, when people start falling ill, public health experts may not identify the food item responsible or the pathogen—common suspects include E. coli, listeria, and salmonella—that may be causing the illness. "Once the epidemiologists determine the cause, there is often a recall," Schaffner said. "We saw this with the recent Boar’s Head listeria incident and also with McDonald’s chopped onions, but in the latter case, the recall was limited to the restaurant industry since the onions were not sold directly to consumers."
3. There may be instances where an outbreak occurs without identifying the cause, resulting in no recall. "In some cases, we might have an outbreak and never discover the source," Schaffner noted. "In such scenarios, there would be no recall."
4. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which share oversight of food safety, have similar recall structures, according to Schaffner. "They are categorized as Class I, II, and III based on severity," he detailed. "The most severe type of recall is when there is a strong suspicion that a pathogenic microorganism might be present in the food, which is a Class I recall. We must act with all deliberate speed in such cases." Class I recalls "imply a reasonable chance of serious health consequences or death," Schaffner further explained via email.
5. Recall reasons can extend beyond pathogens. "We can also have recalls due to potential allergens; for example, peanuts in a cookie that does not list peanuts on the label," he said. "There can also be recalls for incorrect labels: the wrong type of food was packaged, or the weight of the food in the package does not match the label."

In many cases, the company in question chooses to initiate a recall voluntarily, without being ordered to do so, Schaffner noted. The FDA, responsible for regulating nearly 80% of the food supply, gained the authority to mandate a company to conduct a recall with the Food Safety Modernization Act, Schaffner said. "However, the agency rarely exercises this power because the vast majority of companies will perform a voluntary recall when they identify an issue," he stated. Unlike the FDA, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the USDA agency overseeing the safety of meat, poultry, and egg products, does not have the authority to order a company to recall a product.