Why are there so many listeria food recalls?

It's been a very busy year for food recalls in the United States. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have announced several recalls in recent months for everything from Ice cream And Waffles To fresh products and even millions of pounds of deli meat.

And they all had one thing in common: They were triggered by fears of possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections.

The deadliest outbreak to date – with 10 deaths – was associated with a deli factory in Boar's Head, Virginia. Recently, BrucePac, an Oklahoma-based manufacturer of pre-cooked meats, issued a recall almost this month 10 million pounds of products sold in the country's largest grocery chains, including Walmart (WMT+1.51%), Kroger (KR+0.15%), 7-Eleven (SVNDY-1.28%) and Trader Joe's

The apparent increase in listeria-related recalls is concerning. Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious listeriosis infections in young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. The FDA also warns that listeria infections can cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women. Even in healthy people, a listeria infection can cause symptoms such as high fever, headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

An estimate Each year, 1,600 people in the United States develop listeriosiswith about 260 deaths per year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Why does listeria contamination appear to be increasing?

“What we are seeing is likely a perfect storm of factors: regulatory transitions, pandemic-related inspection gaps, improved detection capabilities and economic pressures. Together, these elements have led to an increase in recalls.” Dr. Darin Detwiler, a food safety consultant and professor at Northeastern University, told Quartz in an email. “While it is unclear whether a specific issue is driving the trend, the combination suggests that there are vulnerabilities within the food regulatory system that need to be addressed to restore consumer confidence.”

Better and more accurate detection

One reason recalls appear to be increasing is improvements in testing technology. For example, Detwiler said the widespread use of whole genome sequencing, a process for analyzing an organism's DNA, is making it easier to detect pathogens such as listeria.

“With these advanced methods, contamination can be traced more effectively, resulting in faster recalls,” said Detwiler. “This may give the impression that recalls are occurring more frequently, when in reality we are simply identifying contamination more efficiently than before.”

The demand for ready-to-eat foods is increasing

However, it's not just better testing that's leading to all of these recalls. The recalls could also reflect a change in consumer preferences and production methods.

Detwiler pointed out that consumers are generally choosing more ready-to-eat foods such as deli meats, cheese, salads and pre-cooked meats. These products are often stored in refrigerators or freezers.

Unfortunately, unlike other pathogens, Listeria can thrive in cold environments.

“Most of these products often have a long shelf life, giving listeria more time to grow even if the initial contamination is low,” Detwiler said.

Additionally, the complexity of the global food supply chain, with ingredients coming from different locations around the world, makes it difficult to trace the source of contamination. Additionally, additional steps are added during product manufacturing, increasing the risk of cross-contamination.

Gaps in inspections

Finally, another possible factor that appears to be driving an increase in listeria-related food recalls could be a combination of a recent FDA restructuring and a reduction in in-person inspections during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The FDA announced plans for a restructuring last year. This month, the regulator announced the creation of a new Human Food Program, a new model and a new name for its field operations. The administration said it was the largest restructuring in the agency's recent history, affecting more than 8,000 employees.

Detwiler said this transition period “can often result in temporary gaps in oversight or slower response times to emerging food safety risks.”

At the same time there is a reduction in personal presence Suspension and reduction of face-to-face events Inspections during the COVID-19 pandemic may have resulted in “lapses in sanitation and food safety compliance.”

For example, Boar's Head closed in September.unlimited” his deli factory in Virginia, which was connected to a deadly listeria outbreak. The closure came after federal inspectors reportedly found Dozens of violations in the facility, including mold, water retention and the presence of insects near food.

Even before the pandemic it was The USDA has completed a new one The rule allowed pig slaughterhouses to hire their own inspectors.