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By Kaitlin Lewis
Night Reporter
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As of Saturday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this year has removed over 100 food and beverage products from the market deemed in "violation" of agency regulations.
Such recalls are issued for a variety of reasons. Officials may find that an item has been contaminated with potentially threatening bacteria such as salmonella. Other warnings are issued after a major food allergen is determined to have gone undeclared on the product label.
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While all recalls mean that the food product in question could pose harm or injury to the consumer, only a handful of items on the FDA warning list result in an adverse reaction.
This year, according to data reviewed by Newsweek, eight food and beverage products among the 108 recalled by the FDA from January 1-May 31 caused harm or disease to at least one consumer. During the same time period last year, eight food and beverage products again—but out of only 98 recalled—were linked to illness or negative effects.
Separate recalls regarding meat, poultry and egg products are regulated by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. According to Newsweek's research, two out of 25 products removed by the FSIS this year resulted in illness through May 31. Last year, there were no serious reactions reported to the FSIS triggered by the 31 products recalled during the same time period.
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"Not all recalls result in adverse effects or illness in consumers," Darin Detwiler, a professor at Northeastern University's College of Professional Studies and expert on food-safety, told Newsweek over email. "The purpose of a recall is to proactively remove potentially harmful products from the market to prevent such incidents."
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"Even when a recall is due to a defect or contamination, it does not always mean that consumers have been affected," Detwiler added. "Often, the issue is identified early enough to prevent widespread impact. Thankfully, only a fraction of recalls actually result in documented cases of illness or adverse effects. This is because not all consumers may report mild or moderate symptoms, and some issues may be detected and addressed before reaching consumers."
What Is a Recall?
In an emailed response to Newsweek on Tuesday, the FDA forwarded background information on the essence of a recall. According to its website, the agency describes a recall as "actions taken by a firm to remove a product from the market," which can be generated by the firm itself, through a request by the FDA or via demand from the agency or other authority.
The FDA also categorizes its recalls into Class I through Class III, according to information provided in the link to Newsweek. A Class III recall, the mildest category, is issued when the "use of or exposure to a violative product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences." Class II recalls refer to instances when "use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences" or if the chance of "adverse health consequences is remote."
The most severe warning, Class I, is issued when "there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death."
The FSIS uses a similar system to classify its food recalls. A Class III means that eating the recalled product "will not cause adverse health consequences." Class II refers to incidents in which there is a "remote probability of adverse health consequences from eating the food," while Class I is delivered when there is "a reasonable probability that eating the food will cause health problems or death."
Detwiler told Newsweek that recalls can be triggered in a variety of ways, including due to adverse effects or complaints from consumers. Regular inspections by agencies such as the FDA or the Department of Agriculture also may "uncover potential issues."
Recalls are "typically voluntary, initiated by manufacturers or distributors," Detwiler said, although the FDA is able to request or even mandate a recall in certain situations "if the manufacturer does not comply voluntarily."
The FSIS is also able to request recalls if a product is found to be "unsafe," although Detwiler noted that the agency "does not have the same mandatory recall authority as the FDA but can take enforcement actions, such as detaining products and suspending operations, to ensure compliance."
In an email to Newsweek on Thursday, a spokesperson for the FSIS said that the "safety and integrity of meat, poultry and egg products is the responsibility of the producing establishment and is ensured through proper design and execution of their food safety systems...which is required by FSIS regulations and policies."
"FSIS inspection personnel conduct daily inspection verification tasks in every federally inspected establishment to ensure that only wholesome and properly labeled products receive the USDA [Department of Agriculture] mark of inspection and are allowed to go to commerce, thus preventing meat, poultry, and egg products that may be adulterated from reaching consumers," the agency added.
A Deeper Dive Into 2024
Fifty percent of the adverse reactions reported in the consumption of a recalled product this year occurred from a top allergen that was undeclared on the item's packaging. Since 2004, manufacturers are required to disclose on their food labels if their products contain or may contain any of the top eight allergen sources, which make up 90 percent of all food allergies in the U.S., according to the FDA. The sources are milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soy.
Other adverse reactions from January-June have been linked to bacteria contamination of a food product. In April, a fresh organic basil product sold by Infinite Herbs lLC was recalled after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 12 instances of salmonella infections linked to the item.
A separate recall was issued for Raw Farm cheddar cheese in February after consumption of the product was linked to several cases of E. coli. An investigation by the CDC found that 11 illnesses, including five hospitalizations, were linked to the product.
The company G.A. Mart issued a recall of its H&Natural TejoRoot supplement on February 23 after the FDA found that it contained yellow oleander, a poisonous plant native to Central America. The company said it received a report of a consumer who dealt with gastrointestinal illness after consuming the product, including "painful symptoms in conjunction with internal bleeding."
The other adverse reaction reported this year was spawned by Healthwest Minerals Goat Milk Formula Recipe Kit, which was recalled at the recommendation of the FDA because the formula "does not provide sufficient nutrition when used as an infant formula." One adverse case of anemia in an infant was reported after consuming the formula.
Detwiler said that consumers should "regularly check for recall notices from reliable sources like the FDA, USDA, or relevant health agencies" and follow instructions on how to return or dispose of any recalled items safely.
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