It’s usually a bad day for a meat or poultry processor when USDA calls and states that the agency has discovered a problem with a product that will likely trigger a recall. Whether the problem is linked to an impermissible pathogen, an undeclared allergen, or a foreign material, the results are typically the same. The company, upon learning of the existence of a problem, will work to quickly and expeditiously identify the source of the issue and, if additional action is required, the scope of the potential recall. Once a recall is announced, the losses can be extreme. These include the costs of transportation, destruction, replacement, and exorbitant retailer fees – not to mention the potential impact to the overall brand.
Fortunately, in terms of recalls, the past few years have been kind to the processing industry. Or, stated differently, the processing industry has been kind to itself. While, five years ago, reading about 50 or more recalls in the first four months of each calendar year was not unheard of, the numbers of USDA-regulated product recalls have dropped in more recent years to record lows.