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The increasing number of food recalls in the U.S. has caused many Americans to lose confidence in the food system, Fortune reports.
In August alone, the FDA announced 26 food recall notices, compared with 18 in August 2025 and 19 in August 2024. Salmonella was a major concern, appearing in 12 of the 26 recalls.
However, a higher number of recalls does not necessarily mean that the food supply has become more dangerous. Recalls can result from bacterial contamination, undeclared allergens, foreign objects or labeling errors, and one contamination event can lead to several recalls as products move through the supply chain.
Still, experts are concerned that staffing cuts at federal food safety agencies could reduce the number of people monitoring food safety and testing for contaminants.
Recalls are also changing consumer behavior. Sixty-seven percent of surveyed consumers said they avoided an entire food category after a recall, while 66% hesitated to buy the same product or brand again. Additionally, 59% reported throwing away recalled food even when their state or region was not affected.
Experts argue that consumers often struggle to determine whether a specific product is actually part of a recall, especially because food can pass through complicated supply chains.
To address this issue, the FDA has established additional food-traceability requirements, while GS1 US is promoting two-dimensional barcodes that could eventually allow shoppers to scan products and determine whether they are part of a recall.
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