A total of 313 food product recall announcements were issued in 2023 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)—an increase of 8 percent over 2022—and foodborne illnesses associated with the recalled products sickened more than 1,000 people and resulted in six fatalities. To uncover recall trends, the U.S. Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG) Education Fund analyzed all 313 recalls issued in 2023 in its Food for Thought 2024 report, finding that undeclared allergens dominated the reasons for food recalls—largely due to sesame—with the number of recalls due to undeclared allergens skyrocketing in 2023.
Part of the Public Interest Network, PIRG is a nonprofit public interest advocacy group that aims to protect public health in the U.S.