Food Fares Better in Q1 Recall Report than Many Other Industries

Stericycle Expertsolutions' latest U.S. Recall Index showed the consumer product and auto industries with a significant increase in units recalled, while food and beverage showed a decrease in both units and recalls in Q1 2016 compared to Q4 2015. In the pharmaceutical sector, the number of recalls remained consistent with historical averages, but the number of units recalled plunged to the second lowest level in the past decade. This decline was also observed in the medical device category, with both recalled units and the number of recalls dropping to the lowest level since 2013.

After major food recalls in 2015, including the cumin spice recall that had a ripple effect across the industry, both the number of recalls and the number of reported units affected dropped substantially in Q1.

Some of the key factors were:

• Foreign materials became the top cause for FDA food unit recalls in Q1. In 2015, the leading cause was undeclared allergens.
• The same categories continue to experience the greatest impact from recalls: prepared foods, baked goods, and fruits and vegetables.
• Beef was the top recalled USDA product, making up nearly 68% of total pounds recalled in Q1.

Read the full report here. 

Photo: Stericycle Infographic