Once again, the meat industry deserves to be congratulated for another great year! With fewer than 50 recalls at the time of this writing, 2021 will go down in history as one of the safest years for the meat industry in the last two decades.
Over the last two years, the food industry has been put to the ultimate agility test. The effects of COVID-19 have placed incredible strain on food companies, their overall operations and their employees.
I will never forget the week of January 1, 2021, hearing every person I encountered, whether it was family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, clients, or the clerk at the local grocery store, proclaim in cheerful form, “Thank Goodness 2020 is behind us!” Most would go on to proclaim further, many in an even brighter tone, “I can’t wait for 2021!” Neither could I.
For some time, we have warned food industry companies — specifically meat and poultry companies — about the necessity to appropriately protect themselves and their brands against the risk posed by Salmonella recalls.
At the time of this writing, there have been 13 food product recalls of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-regulated products in 2021. Why are companies struggling with inspection issues?
