With 2020 under way, we thought it would be interesting to evaluate last year’s recall data for the meat industry. Certainly, there are many ways to measure the performance of the food industry. Annual recall data can provide interesting snapshots into the industry’s overall food safety performance. Ideally, we hope to see progress made from year to year, which would reflect lessons learned in our pursuit of ever-safer, more wholesome food.
In 2019, there were a total of 124 recalls of product inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This equates to approximately one recall every three days. Collectively, the recalls affected a total of approximately 20.6 million pounds of product. The largest recall (11.8 million pounds) involved various chicken products that may have been contaminated with foreign materials (metal). This recall is especially notable for its size, accounting for 58 percent of the total pounds of product recalled in 2019.