Food recalls and outbreaks aren’t just headlines — they directly shape how we shop, cook, and care for our families.

As a dad to an 18-month-old (with another boy due on the Fourth of July), food safety isn’t just my beat — it’s woven into my family’s everyday decisions. After years covering recalls and outbreaks, my wife and I now constantly weigh food risks — especially with little ones at home.

We avoid high-risk items like pre-cut produce, raw sprouts, and enoki mushrooms. We make sure meat is always cooked to temperature, skip raw cookie dough, and limit those oh-so-convenient puree pouches, especially after the 2023 recalls.

We even monitor for PFAS in packaging and avoid cinnamon after recent lead-related recalls. We also limit artificial dyes and sweeteners like aspartame, though evidence on their risks is mixed.

None of these choices make our life simpler or cheaper. And navigating them can feel like walking a minefield of conflicting advice, shifting science, and confusing labels. But like many of you, we’re doing our best with the knowledge we have.

This week’s Wednesday Weigh-In asked: “How have food recalls and outbreaks changed your habits?” You weighed in, sharing your experiences, strategies, and concerns. Now, let’s take a look at what you said, unpack the science behind these choices, and explore how food safety is reshaping our daily lives.

Poll results: How you’re responding

Your responses show recalls are reshaping habits, with most of you staying proactive:

• 📋 Staying alert – I keep a closer eye on recall alerts: 58%

• 🚫 Avoiding risky foods – I steer clear of items like leafy greens or poultry: 24%

• 🛒 Changing it up – I’ve switched brands or where I shop: 8%

• 👍 Unbothered – My eating habits haven’t changed: 10%

Over half of you are more vigilant, checking recall notices regularly. A quarter avoid high-risk foods like leafy greens, while a smaller group has switched brands or stores. Only 10% say recalls haven’t changed their habits — a sign of confidence, routine, or risk tolerance.

Your voices: Reader insights

Your comments highlight the real-world impact of recalls, from heightened caution to tough choices:

• “I keep a close eye on recalls because I have an autoimmune disorder and can’t afford to get sick from food. Food Safety News is my lifeline for staying informed—thank you!”

  For those with autoimmune disorders, staying informed about food recalls is crucial, as they are more susceptible to foodborne illnesses. Learn more about safer food choices for people with weakened immune systems from the CDC.

• “I refuse to buy romaine lettuce or sprouts anymore. After so many recalls, I stick to local farms for produce and check recall alerts daily.”

  The frequent recalls of romaine lettuce due to E. coli contamination have led many consumers to avoid it altogether. Taylor Farms, a California-based grower, was recently identified as the source of a deadly E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce that sickened 89 people across 15 states, hospitalizing 36 and causing one death.

• “Recalls make me question the whole food system. I’ve switched to organic brands and farmers’ markets, but it’s expensive and not always convenient.”

  While some consumers turn to organic foods for perceived safety benefits, the organic label does not guarantee safety. Learn more about the safety and nutrition of organic foods from Mayo Clinic.

• “I’m a vegetarian for ethical reasons, but recalls still worry me. Budget cuts to inspections make me doubt food safety standards, so I’m extra cautious about packaged greens.”

  Concerns about budget cuts to food inspections are valid, as they can weaken safety standards. Food safety leaders have voiced concerns over recent FDA workforce cuts, warning that staff reductions threaten to undermine food safety efforts, disrupt investigations into outbreaks, and erode public trust in the agency's ability to protect consumers.

• “The Listeria outbreak with deli meats was a wake-up call. I stopped buying pre-sliced anything and now get meat from a trusted butcher.”

  The 2024 Boar’s Head Listeria outbreak prompted significant changes for some consumers. Read more about this outbreak and Boar’s Head’s attempt to win back consumer trust.

Do recalls change habits? Sometimes.

A 2018 study published on SSRN, How Consumers Respond to Food Safety Crisis: A Study of Peanut Butter and Egg Recalls on Consumer Behavior, sheds light on how food recalls influence purchasing decisions. The study, conducted by Yanwen Chen and Christopher Timmins, analyzed two major Salmonella-related recalls—the 2009 peanut butter recall tied to Peanut Corporation of America (714 illnesses, 9 deaths) and the 2010 egg recall linked to Iowa farms (over 1,900 reported illnesses)—using weekly Nielsen scanner data from U.S. grocery stores.

The findings reveal stark differences in consumer responses. Peanut butter sales dropped significantly, with a 13.7% decline in the second week after the recall announcement, reflecting widespread concern about contamination. This effect persisted for several weeks, likely fueled by intense media coverage, the bankruptcy of the Peanut Corporation of America, and the recall’s impact across numerous peanut butter products. In contrast, egg sales showed no statistically significant decline nationally, possibly because eggs are a dietary staple with fewer substitutes and the recall was swiftly contained. Even in Iowa, where the contaminated eggs originated, the study found no significant local drop in sales.

Interestingly, the study tested whether socioeconomic status, particularly income, influenced these responses but found no significant differences across income groups for either product. This suggests that food safety concerns prompt similar caution across all consumers, regardless of wealth, challenging assumptions that higher-income households might avoid recalled products more readily.

The study highlights that recalls can erode trust in specific products and the broader food safety system, prompting behaviors like checking labels more closely or switching brands. However, the transient nature of these shifts — especially for staples like eggs — underscores the need for clearer communication and better traceability to rebuild consumer confidence and ensure public health.

High-risk foods: Why some avoid them

Based on your responses, consumers are dodging foods like leafy greens, poultry, and deli meats — anything that keeps getting hit with recalls.

Studies from 2009-2018 linked leafy greens to 40 E. coli outbreaks, with romaine frequently implicated, accounting for 58.1% of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses in a later report. In 2024, a Salmonella outbreak linked to poultry sickened 87 people across 32 states. Deli meats, like those in the 2024 Boar’s Head Listeria recall, caused 9 deaths, contributing to their frequent avoidance.

One reader noted, “I haven’t touched Boar’s Head since their Listeria outbreak. Reports of filthy plant conditions were enough for me.” Another avoids prepackaged foods, preferring butcher-sourced meat and seasonal produce.

Something interesting

A 2025 study in Nature on conditioned flavor aversion suggests why some foods become “tainted” in our minds after illness. The brain’s ability to tie a novel flavor to sickness in a single instance could explain why recalls make us wary of entire food categories, even when the risk is low. It’s a survival mechanism, but it can lead to blanket avoidance that impacts diets and budgets.

What’s your take?

Have recalls changed how you shop or eat? Share your thoughts — we love hearing from you!

(Keep it respectful; personal attacks or ads will be removed.)

Stay tuned for next Wednesday’s Weigh-In! Until then, stay safe, stay informed, and to all the moms out there — have a wonderful and well-deserved Mother’s Day!

All the best,
Jonan Pilet, Newsletter Editor

Weekend Poll

Past Week’s Recalls

U.S.-Based Recalls:

• Las Vegas-area health officials investigate illnesses linked to South Korean oysters

• Optimal Carnivore recalls Bone & Joint Restore Capsules because of possible Salmonella contamination

• Yellowstone Baked Beans recalled because of undeclared soy

• Licorice Plum recalled because of undeclared sulfites and unapproved color

• 19th Hole Snack Mix recalled because of undeclared almonds and sesame

• Ferrarini USA, Inc. recalls prosciutto products for import violation

• Lamb Weston recalls 34,801 cases of hashbrown products because of plastic contamination

Canada-Based Recalls:

• Company recalls pumpkin seeds in Canada because of Salmonella contamination

• Captain’s Choice Coconut Meat recalled in Canada because of Salmonella contamination

• Hong Kong Shredded Coconut recalled in Canada because of Salmonella contamination

• Al Kanater Tahini recalled in Canada because of Salmonella contamination

• Lil’ Juan’s and Lucia’s Mexican Style Pork Carnitas recalled in Canada because of wood fragments

• More recalls…

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