Now also carrots? Why are there so many food recalls lately?

On November 19, 2024By Littum

There has been a recall of organic carrots due to a risk of E.coli, the latest in a series of food recalls that have been increasing over the past few years.

Several brands of organic carrots were recalled after they were linked to E.coli cases across the country. Photo by Getty Images

It seems like every day there is a new food challenge. This time it’s carrots.

Several brands of the vegetable are sold in 18 states has been recalled due to possible E.coli contamination, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The 39 cases were reported across 18 states, resulting in 15 hospitalizations and one death.

Food recalls have been on the rise recently, with the total increasing by 20% between 2020 and 2023, according to Darin Detwilera food safety expert and associate professor at Northeastern University. This upward trend has continued into 2024 and includes Class I recalls, which are the highest level of risk to consumers.

“The increase in food recalls across different products, from deli meats to frozen waffles, has raised questions about whether broader issues in food regulation and oversight are contributing to this trend,” Detwiler said. “Several factors may be contributing to the increase in recalls, and it is likely a combination of circumstances that has created this increased level of concern.”

Portrait of Darin Detwiler. — Darin Detwiler, associate professor, said food recalls are on the rise due to a number of factors. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

One of the factors at play is a restructuring of the Food and Drug Administration, Detwiler said. The transition is aimed at creating “a more centralized, coherent approach to food security,” he added, but it could also create temporary gaps.

On top of this, there are a number of external factors at play. Many manufacturers relaxed their practices during Covid, which is now catching up with them, Detwiler said. Election season can affect how government agencies operate, and economic pressures can lead to businesses cutting costs.

“What we’re seeing is probably a perfect storm of factors: regulatory transitions, pandemic-related inspection gaps, increased detection capabilities and economic pressures,” Detwiler said. “Together, these elements have led to an increase in recalls. While it is unclear whether a specific issue is driving the trend, the combination suggests that there are vulnerabilities in the food regulatory system that must be addressed to restore consumer confidence.”

At the same time, Detwiler said we are seeing an improvement in technology that tests for pathogens, which means more cases are being caught and faster, indicating an improvement in food safety.

“Improved detection methods and stricter safety measures … have led to more effective identification of foodborne illness outbreaks and contamination incidents,” he added.

The recent outbreak came out of California’s Grimmway Farms. The voluntary recall was announced on Saturday.

Both baby and whole organic carrots were affected and may not only be in stores but in people’s homes, According to the CDC. They encouraged people to check their products and discard or return affected products.

The FDA could do more to prevent these outbreaks, Detwiler added. He said the agency could implement stricter oversight of food supply chains, particularly for global products, making it easier to track goods to more quickly identify the source of contamination, expand resources to help smaller producers meet safety standards, and work with state, federal, and industry patterns to promote or mandate recall.

Many recent recalls were for prepared foods and fresh produce. Detwiler said prepared foods, which include ready meals and commercially packaged products, are often recalled for undeclared allergens, while products often have to be recalled for contamination from bacteria such as salmonella, E.coli and listeria. The same often applies to poultry products.

Detwiler said consumers can protect themselves by checking regularly FDA and USDA recall lists or signing up for recall alerts. Following the right guidelines when it comes to storing, cooking and cleaning food can also help reduce the risk of contamination, as can checking labels to avoid manufacturers with a history of recalls and buying from reputable grocers.