Shocking New Study Unveils States with the Highest Food Recall Rates – Are You at Risk?

Study Reveals States with the Most Food Recalls

Recent research shows some surprising data about food recalls in the United States. Vermont tops the list, with 2.47 recalls for every 100,000 residents between 2010 and 2024. In that time frame, Vermont had a total of 16 recalls. The most recalls happened in 2016 and 2019, with three each year.

Wyoming comes in second, reporting 2.23 recalls per 100,000 people, totaling 13 recalls since 2010. The peak years for Wyoming were 2013 and 2017, each with three recalls. Rhode Island follows closely in third place, with 2.19 recalls per 100,000 residents. Since 2010, it has experienced 24 recalls, with six occurring in 2017.

Other states with notable recall rates include:

• Delaware: 2.04 recalls per 100,000, totaling 21 recalls.
• Maine: 1.86 recalls per 100,000, with 26 recalls in total.
• Alaska: 1.77 recalls per 100,000, summing up to 13 recalls.
• Hawaii: 1.74 recalls per 100,000, totaling 25 recalls.
• Oregon: 1.61 recalls per 100,000, with a total of 68 recalls.
• Connecticut: 1.60 recalls per 100,000, totaling 58 recalls.
• Utah: 1.52 recalls per 100,000, with a total of 52 recalls.

The study also highlighted the main reasons for food recalls across the U.S. The top three are:

• Product contamination: 118 occurrences.
• Misbranding: 95 occurrences.
• Unreported allergens: 81 occurrences.

Janick Elleholm Jensen from FOSS IQX shared insights on the findings. She noted that smaller states like Vermont and Wyoming had high recall rates compared to larger states like California, which had a total of 234 recalls but a lower rate per population. This disparity raises concerns about food safety measures, especially with the significant recalls from major companies in 2024.

According to Jensen, many food recalls stem from a lack of thorough safety analyses by companies. She emphasized the need for small businesses to understand their specific food safety risks. Tools like Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) can help improve safety practices, but the knowledge gap in smaller companies poses a challenge.

To sum up, while some states may have fewer recalls, their rates per population raise important questions about food safety and industry practices.
Source: Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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