1-Minute Summary
- Hospitalizations and deaths from contaminated food doubled in 2024.
- Undeclared allergens, pathogens (Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli), and toxic contaminants drove the most recalls.
- Just 13 outbreaks caused 98% of all reported foodborne illnesses in 2024.
- Faster testing, better supplier oversight, and stronger recall plans are critical for 2025.
2024 was a wake-up call for food safety professionals.
Hospitalizations and deaths from foodborne illnesses doubled, and food recalls continued to flood the headlines. Every few weeks, a new high-profile recall shook the industry – onions on cheeseburgers, deli meats, cucumbers, even mushroom-infused chocolate bars.
With 2025 underway, it’s time to look back and learn. What caused the most food recalls in 2024? Which foods posed the biggest risks? And, most importantly, what can food safety professionals do to prevent history from repeating itself?
This summary is based on findings from the Food for Thought 2025 report, published by the U.S. PIRG Education Fund in February 2025.
Let’s break it down.
2024 Was a Year of High-Profile Food Recalls
The numbers tell the story.
- 296 total recalls (FDA + USDA) in 2024, a slight decrease from 2023.
- 1,392 people sickened by recalled food (up from 1,118 in 2023).
- Hospitalizations more than doubled, increasing from 230 in 2023 to 487 in 2024.
- Deaths more than doubled, rising from 8 in 2023 to 19 in 2024.
At first glance, the overall number of 2024 food recalls might seem stable. But the severity of foodborne illness cases increased, proving that it’s not just about quantity, it’s about impact.
Even a single outbreak can send hundreds to the hospital and permanently damage a company’s reputation.
The Rising Toll of Recalled Food – 2023 vs 2024
The Worst Offenders: Top Causes of Food Recalls in 2024
Food safety teams work tirelessly to prevent contamination, but in 2024, these were the biggest troublemakers:
- Pathogens (Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli) accounted for 39% of all food recalls.
- Undeclared allergens remained the leading cause, with 101 recalls (34%).
- Excessive lead contamination led to 13 recalls, a sharp increase over previous years.
- Foreign materials, including metal and plastic, triggered 12 recalls.
- Pet food recalls increased from 7 to 11.
The rise in toxic contaminants, like lead in cinnamon and muscimol, a psychoactive compound, in mushroom-infused snacks, is particularly concerning. These are not the usual suspects, meaning companies need to expand their risk assessments beyond traditional hazards.
The Biggest Outbreaks of 2024
Ninety-eight percent of foodborne illnesses in 2024 came from just 13 outbreaks.
The high-profile cases included:
- Boar’s Head deli meats: 61 illnesses, 10 deaths (Listeria).
- Cucumbers: 551 illnesses, 155 hospitalizations (Salmonella).
- McDonald’s Quarter Pounders (onions): 104 illnesses, 1 death (E. coli).
- Mushroom-infused chocolate bars: 118 illnesses, 3 deaths (toxic muscimol).
Many recalls involved trusted brands and everyday foods, not just a few regional products.
For food safety teams, this means:
- Supplier oversight is critical. Many outbreaks stemmed from contaminated raw ingredients.
- Pathogen testing must be aggressive. Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli remain the industry’s biggest threats. This is a good reminder to audit your environmental monitoring program (EMP) and ensure you’re targeting the right organisms and challenging your facility. A good EMP software program, such as emma®, our Environmental Monitoring and Mapping Application, can help.
- Speed matters. Slow responses allow contaminated products to stay in circulation, worsening the effect.
The Recall Problem: Slow Response Times & Supply Chain Risks
Let’s take a closer look at why “speed matters” when it comes to food recalls. By the time a company issues a recall, the product has often been on the market for weeks or months.
The 2024 Salmonella outbreak from cucumbers is a prime example.
- The first illness was reported in March 2024.
- The recall was issued on May 31, 2024.
- People were still getting sick in July 2024.
This two-month delay meant hundreds of consumers unknowingly ate contaminated cucumbers after the recall was issued. Tracing outbreaks remains a major challenge, especially with long, global supply chains, hence a prime reason for the FSMA 2024 Food Traceability Final Rule set to take effect in January 2026.
To mitigate these risks, companies should tighten supplier controls to ensure ingredient safety and maintain a recall readiness plan that includes a clear, fast response in the event that an outbreak is traced to your products. Even if you are exempt from the new Food Traceability Rule or if your products are not included on the Food Traceability List (FTL), the regulation is a great resource.
What Food Safety & Quality Teams Can Do Now
If 2024 taught us anything, it’s that proactive food safety measures are more important than ever. Here’s how your team can stay ahead.
Enhance Testing
- As mentioned earlier, audit your EMP to ensure you’re targeting the right organisms, collecting sufficient samples, and sampling the correct places in your facility. Routine microbiology testing for Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, and other pathogens is essential.
- Conduct pathogen challenge studies to obtain an understanding of how your products stand up to real-world contamination, especially if you use alternative preservatives for “clean” labels. Our Lab+ group specializes in designing and conducting challenge studies and other scientific studies for food safety.
- Consider analytical chemistry testing for additional contaminants, depending on your products, such as heavy metals and toxins.
Strengthen Supplier Oversight
- Vet every supplier, both domestic and international. Engage with a consultant to help develop a process for auditing suppliers, such as EAS Consulting Group, a Certified Group company.
- Require current certifications and safety documentation before sourcing ingredients.
Improve Recall Readiness
- Implement traceability systems to track raw materials and finished products.
- Train employees on rapid recall execution to minimize consumer risk.
Monitor Undeclared Allergens
- New allergen regulations, including sesame labeling, require strict compliance.
- Allergen testing should be a routine part of food safety protocols if your facility (or your supplier’s facility) handles multiple products on the same line.
Educate Teams on Emerging Risks
- Keeping up with new FDA and USDA guidance on food safety best practices is essential.
- Periodic food safety training educates your team and prepares them to successfully fulfill their role in your food safety management system. Engage with a consultant, such as EAS Consulting Group, to help conduct training or develop a customized company-specific training deck.
Stay Vigilant, Stay Ahead
2024 was a challenging year for food safety. While the total number of food recalls slightly decreased, the severity of outbreaks surged, with hospitalizations and deaths doubling compared to 2023.
For food safety professionals, it’s a reminder to stay vigilant and always be looking to improve your food safety and quality programs.
We’re here to help with nationwide food safety testing and regulatory consulting from EAS Consulting Group.
