Why food recalls seem to be everywhere and how to protect yourself

Take a look at the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services’ website, and you’ll see an alarmingly long list of food and drug recalls. Among the most high-profile foodborne illness outbreaks this year, the state documented 2,275 cases of cyclospora-induced illness as of the end of August, and dozens of other potential contaminants affected everything from eggs to frozen berries to beverages.

Yet this may not signal a significant uptick in food contamination, according to one local expert. “If you look at national trends over time, the total number of outbreaks by the FDA is relatively stable,” says Dr. Jennifer Layden , associate dean for practice and professor of public health at the WashU Bursky School of Public Health, and a physician-epidemiologist. 

“Outbreaks are identified by a complex process and with the involvement of numerous agencies,” she explains. “There are teams and agencies that look for clusters of illnesses that could be due to foodborne outbreaks. There are teams that monitor our food supply and test food products. As more advanced technology is used to detect pathogens that can cause outbreaks and to link cases to certain foods, it may also identify outbreaks that previously would have gone undetected.”

Relying on these monitoring systems, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year 1 in 6 Americans, or about 48 million people, contract a foodborne illness. Most people experience fairly mild symptoms and recover on their own, but an estimated 100,000 are hospitalized annually. 

While foodborne viruses and bacterial infections have remained fairly steady, the now infamous cyclospora, shingella, and other pathogens have increased, says Whitney Linsenmeyer, associate professor of nutrition and dietetics at Saint Louis University and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She points to the increasingly stretched food safety system. 

“Concerns are rising as the FDA and CDC workforce were recently reduced by 20 percent and 25 percent, respectively,” Linsenmeyer notes. “Given the critical role these agencies play in supporting food safety systems, tracking foodborne illness outbreaks, and communicating food recalls, the safety of the nation’s food supply is highly likely to be compromised.” 

Simple steps help reduce individual risk. Begin with good personal hygiene by washing hands, cutting boards, and utensils when cooking to prevent cross-contamination. Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water, even if you plan to peel them, and make sure foods are cooked to safe minimum internal temperatures. (The FDA provides additional guidelines and an internal temperature chart.)

Beyond individual practices, faculty at Bursky Public Health and WashU Medicine are working to help improve food and water safety. Several are working on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices for prevention of acute diarrhea, says Lora Iannotti, the Lauren and Lee Distinguished Fixel Professor at the Bursky School of Public Health. “This work is primarily being done in tandem with efforts to improve young child nutrition in low-income settings.”

Additional WashU research is underway on foodborne pathogens such as E. coli, with a view toward vaccine development, and food packaging for preservation, food safety, and reduction of microplastics.   

“In St. Louis, our local farmers markets continue to serve a critical role in providing us with the freshest possible food,” Linsenmeyer adds. “Though it is not a guarantee that a farmers market or local supplier will be safer than a large grocery retailer, the supply chain is typically shorter, meaning there are fewer opportunities for a food to be impacted.” 

Common signs of foodborne illness include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fever, or abdominal cramping. “Contact your physician if symptoms are especially severe or do not resolve within a few days,” Linsenmeyer says. “A physician can make a diagnosis based on symptoms, your medical history, recent foods consumed, and recent travel. Stool tests and blood tests can also be used to make a diagnosis.”