Stericycle ExpertRECALL has released its quarterly index for the second quarter of 2013, with key findings about recalls announced by companies, the USDA, and the FDA. Once again, undeclared allergens are a top trend for both USDA and FDA recalls, and those numbers continue to rise.
In the second quarter of 2013, 65% of recalls from the USDA were for an undeclared allergen. Sixty percent of FDA recalls were for allergens, an increase of 34% over the first quarter of 2013. The government is addressing this issue. In April 2013, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued new instructions for inspectors on how to verify that establishments are accurately labeling the eight most common food allergens (fish, eggs, milk, tree nuts, peanuts, soy, wheat, and shellfish) which cause 90% of all food allergy reactions.
Mike Rozembajgier, vice president of Stericycle ExpertRECALL, said in a statement, “allergens continue to be a top recall trend that we see quarter after quarter. Manufacturers should make sure that they are reviewing labels and formulations related to a company’s Allergen Control Program before an inspector arrives onsite. Class I recalls put consumers at the highest risk, meaning quick action is critical for companies to protect both their consumers and their own reputations.” Of the 116 companies that faced a recall in the first quarter, 45 of those facilities had more than one recall; one company had 26 recalls in this time period.
Most of the USDA and FDA recalls were labeled as Class I, which means there is a high probability that eating the recalled product could cause serious illness, injury, or death. Seventy percent of USDA recalls were categorized as Class I events, while 36% of FDA recalls were categorized as Class I.
But there is good news in this report too. The number of USDA recalls is down 30% in this quarter, resulting in the lowest number of recalls in the last year and a half. Foodborne pathogens decreased significantly from nine recalls last quarter to three recalls this quarter, down about 66%. In addition, Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli accounted for almost 25% of the recalls initiated, which is down from 65% of all recalls in the first quarter.
I’m allergic to corn, and so are many, many other people. Unfortunately, corn allergy is totally ignored by the FDA, FAAN, etc. I’m sure companies don’t want to be bothered to recall products that contain unlabeled corn, so it is claimed that corn allergy is rare to non-existant. Makes it impossible for people with corn allergy to avoid it, since corn and corn derived additives are dumped into almost all of the food supply, non-food products, medications, and used as processing and packaging aids. So much corn is not good to have in food products, anyway. Remember, if corn is fed to cattle to fatten them up for slaughter, what is it doing to people. Think about it.
Those of us who suffer with corn allergy just want it to be truthfully labeled, to alert us, so we can avoid it. What we don’t know, can kill us.
That is unfortunate. The eight allergens are chosen because they cause 90% of all food allergy reactions. But you’re right; corn should be included.