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By Casey Dyer
The United States has seen an unprecedented increase in food recalls over the past two years, with a particular spike coming in the summer months of 2026 and numbers only coming down slight amounts by September. A question many are asking is: why?
There are many different reasons that a food gets recalled. The most common reasons tend to be contamination with foodborne illnesses, harmful microorganisms, allergens, and mislabeling, with illnesses and microorganisms getting the most media coverage, as they are usually the most dangerous.
One of the most talked about incidents involving a foodborne illness was an outbreak of cyclospora in iceberg lettuce. In mid July, Taylor Farms announced the contamination in their lettuce. From then until mid September, there were anywhere from 12,000 to 17,000 confirmed cases of the illness, and at least 2 deaths. These numbers, larger than what’s usually seen, were enlarged due to the partnership between Taylor Farms and Taco Bell, widening the potential for infection.
Other incidents include salmonella in eggs and foods made with jalapeños, E. Coli in frozen blueberries and raw cheddar cheese, and even botulism in powdered infant formula, just to name a few.
Saylynn McCarty, family and consumer science teacher, has several tips for avoiding these illnesses. She said “The most important thing to do is make sure everything is cooked, cooled, and held at the proper temperatures. Improper temperatures are the most common reason for contamination.” It’s especially important for meats to be cooked properly. Seafood, steaks, and roasts are to reach 145 degrees fahrenheit, ground meats to 155 and poultry to 165.
McCarty highlighted the importance of thawing and reheating, saying “when thawing meats, never leave it out on the counter. Let it sit in the refrigerator or cool water or let it thaw during the cooking process. When reheating, you must reheat to 165 degrees one time. It can not be reheated anymore after.”
Reasons for such high amounts of recalls vary greatly. Many ready-to-eat foods and produce are victims of foodborne illnesses every summer, with this year of course being no different. This is the case for foods like berries and different types of sprouts.
Photo Courtesy of AP Photo/Ben Curtis
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services, bickering with the Senate Committee at his confirmation hearing on January 29, 2025.
Social media is also to blame (like it usually is). Many more outbreaks and recalls are getting wider coverage now more than ever because of how easy it is to spread news, both reliable and unreliable, on the Internet.
There are also factors to look at on a government level. Government organizations, like the FDA, meant to assure food safety have been defunded and faced many employee lay-offs over the past two years. This has led many to point fingers at Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
McCarty personally blames the latter, saying “Cuts to the FDA, CDC, USDA, and EPA have been detrimental to food safety. Lack of funding has caused extremely important groups in all four associations to face employee cuts or, in some cases, eliminated entirely.”
In the end, there is no single reason for so many recalls. There are several different factors when it comes to nationwide incidents like this and the best way to stay safe is to stay posted on potential hazards in food and prepare foods in the proper manner.
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