Scientific American, 11 March 2025

Are Foodborne Illnesses and Deaths in the U.S. Worsening?

Despite headlines, there were fewer food recalls in 2024 than in 2023, but more people died from food poisoning linked to outbreaks.

Food recalls seemed relentless in the U.S. last year. Cucumbers, eggs, even big-brand products such as McDonald’s Quarter Pounders and Boar’s Head deli meats were implicated in dozens of foodborne illness cases, leaving many questioning whether their favorite foods were safe to eat.

But surprisingly, the total number of recalls issued by federal agencies in 2024 actually declined compared with 2023, according to a new report published by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) Education Fund, a nonprofit advocacy group. What did worsen was the severity of outbreaks, with hospitalizations and deaths linked to contaminated foods doubling from the previous year. And experts say these numbers only capture a small fraction of foodborne illnesses occurring nationwide.