13 Food Recalls We've Seen So Far In 2023

According to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 48 million people in the U.S. fall ill due to foodborne illnesses annually, representing about one in six Americans. Of these, 128,000 get hospitalized, and 3,000 die. Foodborne illnesses are divided into two categories: known foodborne pathogens, of which there are 31 that get regularly tracked, and unspecified agents, which are microbes, chemicals, and other substances that have not yet been identified and are therefore not tracked. Approximately 20% of foodborne illnesses occur via known pathogens, and 80% result from unspecified agents. The top five pathogens resulting in foodborne illnesses from highest to lowest include Norovirus, Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter, and Staphylococcus aureus.

Foodborne illnesses most commonly occur due to poor food handling practices, risky farming operations, shoddy manufacturing or distribution, and in-store contamination, most of which are entirely preventable. The average onset of a foodborne illness can occur anywhere from within four hours to up to one week, with symptoms enduring between 24 hours and one week. These symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and fever.

Once possible contamination is discovered, recalls are issued, and safety alerts go out to the general public. The following is a list of several such instances so far this year. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration offers a complete list of all recalls issued over the last three years on its Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts page.

While raw sprouts may be a fantastic crunchy addition to a sandwich, the CDC warns that they pose a high risk for contamination by Salmonella, E. Coli, and Listeria thanks to the hot, moist environment in which they grow. Earlier this year, Fullei Fresh issued a voluntary recall for their 4-ounce retail and 5-pound bulk stocks of alfalfa sprouts distributed throughout Florida due to discovering shiga toxin-producing E. Coli in them.

That strain of bacteria is not a part of regular testing mandated by the FDA's Produce Safety Rule Subpart M, which went into effect on January 26, 2016. This rule, a component of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, instituted scientifically determined basic safety protocols for the growth, harvest, packaging, and holding of fruits and vegetables intended for human consumption. This particular instance of E. Coli contamination was detected by the FDA in a random sample of the finished product. While no illnesses were reported, consumers were alerted to avoid eating any alfalfa from this lot.

Kawasho Foods USA Inc. of New York City found itself voluntarily recalling 4-ounce cans of Geisha Medium Shrimp due to accounts of swollen, leaking, and burst cans, indicating signs of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. Botulism is an anaerobic bacteria, which is a bacteria that grows best in environments devoid of oxygen, like cans that have been damaged or inappropriately sealed, per StateFoodSafety. This bacteria can cause severe neurological symptoms, including paralysis or weakness of the face, trouble swallowing or speaking, and blurry vision. It is a uniquely dangerous illness for infants, causing muscle debility and rendering eating or crying problematic.

While there were no illnesses reported in conjunction with this recall, cans distributed throughout California, Utah, Arizona, and Colorado for retail in several locations were red-flagged. All consumers were urged not to eat the damaged cans and to return the products to their retailer of origin for a complete refund.

The voluntary recall of 581 cases of Strawberry Granola & Greek Yogurt Parfait bars by Clio Snacks of Piscataway, New Jersey, reflects the challenges of supply chain issues, particularly where food safety is concerned. These snack bars are produced by a third-party manufacturer and distributed by Clio to retailers like Walmart, where all these products ended up. While the third-party manufacturer detected the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in routine testing, the source of contamination has yet to be determined as of this writing, requiring the facility to halt all operations until a complete investigation can be conducted to resolve the issue.

Companies like Clio rely upon third-party manufacturers for many of their products, creating a situation where checks and balances are required, not to mention some self-policing to prevent an outbreak. In this case, nobody fell ill, and all products were immediately removed from store shelves. All consumers who have purchased said snack bars should avoid eating them and either destroy or return them to their local Walmart retailer for a complete refund.

Recently, 295 cases of Biltmore Smoked Wild Sockeye Salmon distributed by Seven Seas International USA, LLC of St. Petersburg, Florida, were voluntarily recalled due to concerns over Listeria monocytogenes contamination. These cases of salmon were sold through the Publix supermarket chain. While no illnesses have been reported in conjunction with consuming this product, regular monitoring by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has revealed the contamination. No other items distributed by Seven Seas International USA, LLC are involved in this recall. Consumers should refrain from eating these packages and return them for a complete refund.

Prior outbreaks involving the contamination of smoked salmon with Listeria monocytogenes have been reported, begging the question: Why is smoked salmon so prone to this form of contamination? It was noted that when salmon is cold-smoked, there is no way to destroy any bacteria present in the salmon. When salmon is hot-smoked, however, the heat and lack of moisture are generally effective at killing bacteria. This fact does not prevent the food from becoming contaminated after smoking and before packaging, although thoroughly cooking the salmon can reduce the risk of getting sick, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

According to the FDA, soy is the eighth most commonly occurring food allergen and typically affects anywhere from 0.1% to 0.6% of the population. The FDA requires that all of the top nine food allergens be indicated on the packaging of foods and beverages. When allergen labeling is inaccurate, it can adversely impact those relying upon these labels to keep themselves safe. Unfortunately, issues do occur where undisclosed ingredients end up in foods.

For this reason, recalls such as that involving North American Food Distributing Company Inc. of West Sacramento, California, are particularly concerning. This recall involves undisclosed soy or soy products in the company's Kagome Worcester Sauce and Kagome Chuno Sauce. These items were distributed to retailers throughout Northern California. While no illnesses or allergic reactions have been reported, consumers with soy allergies should avoid consuming these products and return them for a full refund.

When it comes to allergen labeling, "milk" refers to cow's milk, which is the most prevalent food allergy. Cow milk allergies are most common in infants and toddlers under age 3. Approximately 2-3% of these children will have a milk allergy, but about 90% will outgrow this allergy by 3 years old. Although milk allergies are relatively rare in adults, lactose intolerance is frequent, affecting about 36% of Americans. Lactose intolerance varies by ethnicity, with African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, and Latinos being more susceptible. Those with lactose intolerance have difficulty digesting the eponymous sugar in milk, which can cause symptoms like bloating, gas, and diarrhea.

Because of the prevalence of milk in so many food products, labeling is crucial for those with milk allergies and intolerances, highlighting the necessity of accuracy in items like Hy-Vee's Hamburger Chili Macaroni Skillet Meal, which was recalled due to undeclared milk allergens. These items were sold through Hy-Vee retail stores and Dollar Fresh Market stores in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. The situation was brought to the attention of distributor Gilster-Mary Lee Corporation by an email from a consumer. While no illnesses have occurred, consumers with milk allergies or intolerances are encouraged to return the items to retailers for full reimbursement.