In 2024, more Americans were sick with contaminated food than the previous year, with more than doubled the number of people hospitalized or killed, a new study found.
An analysis published this month by the Colorado-based US Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) Education Fund shows that hospitalizations and deaths from contaminated foods have increased last year compared to 2023.
In total, the US announced 296 food recall announcements in 2024. This is a 5% decrease from 2023, according to an analysis by the US PIRG Education Fund.
The FDA recalls more than 2 million donut cases
However, despite an overall decline in recalls, the 2024 food-borne outbreak caused many people to suffer illness, data shows.
“This shows that many foods were more contaminated with higher concentrations of bacteria,” Teresa Murray, director of the US PIRG Consumer Watchdog office, told Fox News Digital. .
According to a new report, the number of food and drink recalls fell in 2024, but they were sick from eating contaminated foods than they did in 2023. (istock)
The biggest threats come from E. coli, Listeria and Salmonella.
Overall, contaminated foods were associated with total disease in 2024. That's 274 more than 1,118 in 2023, according to the report.
Hospitalizations have more than doubled from 230 in 2023 to 487 in 2024, with reported deaths from 8 in 2023 to 19 in 2024, the analysis states.
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The 2024 death was associated with deli meat, cucumbers, onions, carrots, tender cheese, chocolate snacks, ready-to-eat meat and chicken, according to data.
In 2024, there was a particularly high-profile recall.
The USDA (USDA), which regulates meat, chicken and some fish and egg products, tallied 55 recalls in 2024. This is a 38% decrease from 2023, the analysis said.
Another 241 food and drink recalls and alerts were issued by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2024. This is an 8% increase from the previous year, data shows.
MacDonald's temporarily stopped service of a quarter pound due to the E. coli outbreak. (Photo illustrations by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
In particular, there were more popular recalls in 2024, including MacDonald's and wild boar heads.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in November that the sliver onion served at McDonald's Quarter Pounder Burger is a possible cause of E. coli outbreak.
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It was the same month when Sunfeed Produce recalls all sizes of a whole fresh American cucumber and Costco reminded me of over 10,000 cartons of Kirkland's signature eggs. Salmonella's concerns.
Two months ago, Riverwurst was cancelled from the cold cut lineup due to a listeria outbreak among deli meats on certain boars' heads. The outbreak was later linked to the Virginia Boar Head Facility.
The boar head deli meat was recalled in 2024 amidst a listeria outbreak associated with one of the Virginia facilities. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
All but one of the 13 outbreaks in 2024 were involved in E. coli, Listeria or Salmonella, data from the US PIRG Education Fund revealed.
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One factor that Murray believes has contributed to increased hospitalizations and deaths was “the delay in time between the time that the first illness occurred last year and when the subsequent recalls were announced.”
Murray said he hopes the FDA and USDA will be able to “create a format that allows you to get customized alerts” on your phone and email.
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Now anyone can sign up for all the recalls announced, but Murray said he “reminisces me of fatigue.”
He said that a customized recall notification system specific to a person's individual region or concern might help others “control and pay more attention to the information they are actually getting.” .
