Why Food Recalls Are Everywhere Right Now

Contaminated food from McDonald’s, Boar’s Head, and more is making Americans sick. With multiple foodborne illness outbreaks hitting the U.S. recently, including McDonald’s Quarter Pounders and Boar’s Head meat, food recalls are increasing at a notable pace.

The latest issue stems from McDonald’s, where E. coli linked to Quarter Pounders has spread to 10 states and has sickened 49 people. However, the CDC believes the actual number of affected individuals is much higher.

The investigation is ongoing, but the CDC suspects that onions or beef in the burgers could be the source of contamination.

Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, explained that E. coli is not inherently harmful, stating, “You have E. coli in your body. I have E. coli in my body,” as it exists naturally in the gastrointestinal tract.

The issue arises when specific strains of the bacteria enter the water supply or are introduced during the meat processing stages.

Listeria, another dangerous bacteria, recently prompted the recall of a wide range of waffles and chicken products sold at retailers like Trader Joe’s and Aldi, linked to a production facility run by BrucePac.

Both outbreaks follow a listeria scare involving Boar’s Head, which saw contamination in 71 products that resulted in 59 cases and 10 deaths. The outbreak originated at the company’s Jarratt, Virginia, facility, which has since been shut down indefinitely.

This incident highlights growing concerns regarding unsanitary conditions at the facility, including the presence of mold, vermin, and fat residues on equipment and surfaces.

The CDC reported that Boar’s Head had to recall more than 7.1 million pounds of deli meat. The company also permanently ceased production of its liverwurst, which was identified as a significant source of the contamination.

Salmonella is another widespread concern and was the cause of recalls in eggs and green onions earlier in the year.

Adalja noted, “If you go to your grocery store right now and buy some chicken and you culture it, you’ll find salmonella,” highlighting how easily it can spread, especially in environments where food preparation hygiene isn’t properly maintained.

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