Food recalls overall increased by 10% between 2013-2018.
From E. coli-infected romaine lettuce to Salmonella-tainted beef, contaminated foods lead to illnesses that sicken as many as one in six Americans annually, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s website. In 2018, this epidemic helped spur major recalls, which caused stores and restaurants to toss millions of pounds of meat and produce. That’s because fundamental flaws in today’s current food safety system have led to a jump in these recalls since 2013, according to “How Safe is Our Food?,” a report released by U.S. PIRG Education Fund, Denver, Colo.
“The food we nourish our bodies with shouldn’t pose a serious health risk. But, systemic failures mean we’re often rolling the dice when we go grocery shopping or eat out,” says Adam Garber, consumer watchdog. “We can prevent serious health risks by using common sense protections from farm to fork.”