Shawn K. Stevens

The year 2007 is often non-affectionately referred to as “The Year of the Recall.”

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.

When it comes to pathogen control in raw beef products, a lot has changed over the past 20 years. 

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.

Over the last two decades, undeclared allergens have accounted for nearly 45% of all food product recalls. 

A recent spate of high-profile ransomware attacks has caught many off guard. Unfortunately, this sort of attack is in its relative infancy.