Study Finds Undeclared Allergens Highest Cause of Recalls

Food recalls in the United States increased during the second quarter of the year, with undeclared allergens as the most common cause of food recalls during the quarter, according to the quarterly ExpertRecall Index, which noted that allergens accounted for more than 45 percent of all food recalls. 

 

The number of recalls initiated because of undeclared allergens exceeded the total number of recalls for the pathogens Salmonella, Botulism and Listeria combined. Salmonella was the second leading cause of food recalls during the quarter. 

 

“We can expect regulatory agencies to continue to beef up their oversight of both manufacturers and retailers, resulting in more recalls for the remainder of the year,” said Mike Rozembajgier, Vice President of Recalls for Stericycle ExpertRecall. “Manufacturers and distributors need to keep a close eye on their regulatory agencies, as well as industry critics and consumer safety advocates because their persistence has often influenced government oversight, leading to more recalls.” 

 

The ExpertRecall Index is compiled from data issued by the Food and Drug Administration and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

 

The complete report is available online at ExpertRecall.