Report: Deaths from Contaminated Food More than Doubled in 2024 - More Must Be Done to Inform Public

More than twice as many people died from contaminated food in 2024 than in 2023 and recalls were up almost 50% over the previous year, a new report found. 

According to the report from the U.S. Public Information Research Group, 19 people died from eating contaminated food in 2024, as opposed to 8 in 2023. The report also found a marked increase in foodborne illnesses, which rose from 1,118 in 2023 to 1,392 in 2024. 

“This increase is worrisome, as severe illness can have long-lasting consequences: lifetime health conditions, distressed loved ones, and families burdened by medical expenses,” the report states.

Entitled “Food for Thought 2025,” the report found that 13 outbreaks accounted for 98% of all people sickened in 2023, and all but one of the outbreaks involved Listeria, Salmonella, or E. coli.  

“Nearly 1,400 people became ill from food they ate in 2024 – 98% of them from just 13 outbreaks, a stunning fact that shows the consequences of companies producing or selling contaminated food,” the authors wrote.

They added, “contaminated lunchmeat, cucumbers, onions, carrots and soft cheese killed people last year and a wide variety of foods made nearly 1,400 people sick. They are what we know. We know the actual total of illnesses is much higher because many people recover from food poisoning without medical attention.” 

A wide variety of food items were associated with the 13 deaths, including deli meat, onions, carrots, soft cheese, cucumbers, and chocolate snacks, among others. 

While the overall number of Food and Drug Administration and United States Department of Agriculture recalls decreased slightly to 296 in 2024, the percentage that resulted from Listeria, Salmonella, or E. coli contamination rose significantly, and accounted for 39% of all recalls. 

Overall, undeclared allergens were the largest single cause of recalls, amounting to 34%. The second most common cause was potential Salmonella contamination, up to 41 recalls from 27 in 2023.

The authors of the report said that the increase in recall announcements in 2024 can be linked to a number of factors including increased testing by companies and regulators, more inspections by state and federal regulators, the number of people who become sickened to the extent to need medical care, better genome sequencing testings, better investigative work tracing food outbreaks, the fact that so many ingredients are used in multiple products or brands, and the actual safety of the food.

Informing the public

The authors of the report state that the high number of sickened people demands answers. They wrote that informing  customers is crucial to reducing the harm caused by outbreaks. 

“The CDC says many illnesses occur long after recalls have been announced – sometimes weeks or months later – because people just didn’t know about the danger. There’s no single method of reaching everyone who may have purchased a particular product. Multiple methods of outreach would be better.”

They propose a number of steps that could be taken to make sure the public stays informed about recalls, including:

• The FDA and USDA should develop a way for consumers and businesses to receive direct email, text, or phone alerts of all Class I recalls and any allergens of concern. 
• The FDA and ISDA should allow people to choose which types of outbreaks to be notified about. 
• Food products could leverage technology so consumers can easily learn whether an item in their home has been recalled
• Food companies should do more than the minimum when it comes to informing the public. 
• Customers conducting a recall should be required to reach out to consumers directly
• Retailers should offer a way for consumers to be contacted by phone, text or email in the event of a recall
• Consumers should be proactive to make sure they have multiple ways to find out about food safety recalls. 

FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Resigns

The report was released about a week before Jim Jones, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for human foods, resigned in protest over sweeping staff cuts that the incoming Trump administration is making to the agency.

Jones cited "indiscriminate" layoffs of 89 employees, including key technical experts. 

Jones previously led the FDA’s reorganization and the creation of the unified Human Foods Program (HFP) and the adoption of a new model for field operations, “notably enhancing the agency’s ability to oversee and protect the human food supply and other products the FDA regulates," Food Safety Magazine reported. 

According to the Associated Press, “the total number of positions eliminated was not clear Sunday, but the firings appeared to focus on employees in the agency’s centers for food, medical devices and tobacco products.”

Internal audits are key to mitigating risk and helping your company avoid recalls. To learn more about internal audits and how to get started, check out the free Rootwurks guide "Prevent Recalls: A Guide to Internal Audits," here.