Surge in U.S. Food Recalls Driven by Allergen and Contamination Risks

Food recalls under both the FDA and USDA’s FSIS rose sharply in Q3 2025, driven largely by contamination issues and undeclared allergens. FDA food recalls increased slightly to 145 events, the second-highest quarterly total since early 2020. Impacted units soared nearly 76 percent, reaching 25.17 million. FSIS recalls dropped to six events but saw an unprecedented surge in volume, jumping to 58.52 million pounds — the highest in over 13 years.

Undeclared allergens remained the top cause of FDA recalls, with soy, milk, and nuts most frequently cited. Bacterial contamination, especially Listeria, was the second-leading cause, affecting over 13 million units. Non-bacterial contamination also contributed, including cases involving radioactive Cesium-137 in shrimp.

Prepared foods experienced the most FDA recalls, while pork dominated FSIS recall volumes. Sedgwick noted that higher recall activity reflects stronger preventive systems rather than declining food safety.

08-12-2025