A Review of Pet Food Recalls from 2003 Through 2022.

This is a review of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recalls of products that are for dogs and cats which took place from 2003 through 2022. It includes recalls for pet foods (food, treats, and chews), ingredients, supplements (vitamins and minerals), and drugs. There were 3,691 recalls during this period: 51% were Class I, 35% were Class II, and 14% were Class III. Food items and ingredients accounted for the majority or 68%, drugs for 27%, and supplements (vitamins and minerals) accounted for 5% of these recalls. Recalls that could be associated with dogs only accounted for 42%, with cats only 18%, and with multiple species 40%. The primary reasons for the recalls were biological contamination at 35%, chemical contamination at 32%, and cGMP violations at 8%. Almost 25% of the total recalls in the past 20 years were due to a melamine incident in 2007/2008 (73% of those were Class I). Salmonella recalls for the 20 years accounted for 23% of the total recalls (94 % of those were Class I). Although the recalls for vitamins and minerals accounted for only 5.6% percent of the total, 70% of those were Class I and 30% Class II. Pet food is a complex part of the processed food industry, and the processing of pet food is subject to at least 40 different federal regulations. To avoid recalls and be successful, pet food manufacturers need a robust food safety culture to meet all of these requirements to produce a safe product. In contrast, the melamine contamination (an adulteration event) in 2007/2008 which resulted in animal deaths and recalls is a prime example of the need for an effective and robust supplier approval program in order to avoid fraudulent suppliers in the future.

Validity of dietary assessment methods compared with doubly labeled water in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to validate dietary assessment methods against the gold standard, doubly labeled water (DLW), for estimating total energy intake (TEI). METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases were searched until May 2023. Inclusion criteria encompassed studies involving participants aged 1-18 years, employing dietary assessment methods like food records, dietary histories, food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), or 24-h recalls estimating TEI alongside DLW to measure total energy expenditure (TEE). Data were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis models. RESULTS: Thirty-three studies were identified, with sample sizes ranging from 9 to 118 participants. Meta-analysis of 22 studies identified underestimation of TEI (mean difference [MD] = -262.9 kcal/day [95% CI: -380.0, -145.8]; I2 = 93.55%) for food records compared with TEE estimated by DLW. Other dietary assessment methods, including food recalls (n = 9) (MD = 54.2 kcal/day [95% CI: -19.8, 128.1]; I2 = 49.62%), FFQ (n = 7) (MD = 44.5 kcal/day [95% CI: -317.8, 406.8]; I2 = 94.94%), and diet history (n = 3) (MD = -130.8 kcal/day [95% CI: -455.8, 194.1]; I2 = 77.48%), showed no significant differences in TEI compared with DLW-estimated TEE. All studies were of high quality. CONCLUSION: Food records may underestimate TEI, yet additional research is needed to identify the most accurate methods for assessing children's dietary intake.

Exploring Risk Factors of Recall-Associated Foodborne Disease Outbreaks in the United States, 2009-2019.

Earlier identification and removal of contaminated food products is crucial in reducing economic burdens of foodborne outbreaks. Recalls are a safety measure that is deployed to prevent foodborne illnesses. However, few studies have examined temporal trends in recalls or compared risk factors between non-recall and recall outbreaks in the United States, due to disparate and often incomplete surveillance records in publicly reported data. We demonstrated the usability of the electronic Foodborne Outbreak Reporting System (eFORS) and National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS) for describing temporal trends and outbreak risk factors of food recalls in 1998−2019. We examined monthly trends between surveillance systems by using segmented time-series analyses. We compared the risk factors (e.g., multistate outbreak, contamination supply chain stage, pathogen etiology, and food products) of recalls and non-recalls by using logistic regression models. Out of 22,972 outbreaks, 305 (1.3%) resulted in recalls and 9378 (41%) had missing recall information. However, outbreaks with missing recall information decreased at an accelerating rate of ~25%/month in 2004−2009 and at a decelerating rate of ~13%/month after the transition from eFORS to NORS in 2009−2019. Irrespective of the contaminant etiology, multistate outbreaks according to the residence of ill persons had odds 11.00−13.50 times (7.00, 21.60) that of single-state outbreaks resulting in a recall (p < 0.001) when controlling for all risk factors. Electronic reporting has improved the availability of food recall data, yet retrospective investigations of historical records are needed. The investigation of recalls enhances public health professionals' understanding of their annual financial burden and improves outbreak prediction analytics to reduce the likelihood and severity of recalls.

Online Media Attention Devoted to Flour and Flour-Related Food Safety in 2017 to 2020.

ABSTRACT: In light of extended stay-at-home periods during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, recent societal trends have revealed an increased use of online media to remain connected. Simultaneously, interests in at-home cooking and baking, particularly of "comfort foods" have increased. Because flour is a crucial component in many of these products, we analyze how the U.S. public, in social and online media spaces, references "flour" and its use. We also quantify the share of media mentions about flour that are devoted to flour-related food safety risks and/or risk mitigation. It was found that the volume of mentions about flour and its use fluctuate seasonally, often increasing ahead of the winter holiday season (November to December). Further, the volume of interest rapidly increased in March 2020 when stay-at-home orders were issued. The share of media devoted to flour-related food safety risks or associated illness was extremely small but generally corresponded with flour recall announcements or other public risk communications. Overall, the interest in flour and its use remains seasonal and predictably related to societal trends, such as increased baking at home during the holidays or 2020 stay-at-home orders. However, awareness of flour-related food safety risks seems largely absent on the basis of online media data collection and analysis, except in immediate reactions to flour recalls. This study suggests that more flour safety education programs may be desired to support consumers' informed decision making.

Initial Reports of Foodborne Illness Drive More Public Attention Than Do Food Recall Announcements.

ABSTRACT: Recall announcements by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) are important communication tools. Nonetheless, previous studies revealed that the effects of recalls on consumer demand are small. Social media analytics can provide insights into public awareness of food safety-related incidents. This study included social listening data to analyze how the public, in social and online media spaces, responds to, interacts with, and references food safety recalls and/or initial announcements of foodborne illness outbreaks as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Analysis results suggest that mentions quantified in the social and online media searches moved closer in step with the CDC's initial reports of foodborne illness outbreaks than did FDA and FSIS recall announcements. Issuance of recalls may not be a popular source of food risk information in the social media space compared with reactions to the CDC's initial illness reports. This relative popularity reflects people more often sharing or posting about illness risk regardless of whether a recall occurs, suggesting that recall announcements by the FDA and FSIS may not induce changes in consumers' behavior, whereas initial illness reports by the CDC may. Although recalls by the FDA and FSIS may not generate social media posts, their primary role is to take potentially unsafe food items off grocery shelves. Online media analytics provide policy makers with information to guide effective food risk communication; initial CDC reports drive immediate attention more than do FDA and FSIS recalls.

Undeclared allergens in imported packaged food for retail in Australia.

The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) requires a declaration of the presence of 11 different allergens made through the label on a food product. Most food recalls in Australia are now due to undeclared allergens . This survey determined the extent of undeclared allergens in imported food products on the Asian retail market in Australia. A total of 50 imported packaged foods were selectively purchased from local Asian grocery retail stores in Melbourne and the presence of undeclared gluten, milk, peanut and egg determined. Analysis was performed using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (R-Biopharm). Thirty-seven undeclared allergens (gluten n = 12, milk n = 12, peanut n = 6, and egg n = 7) were detected in 23 of the 50 products analysed (46%), with 18% containing multiple undeclared allergens. The high number of undeclared allergens is alarming and in line with the increasing number of food recalls and anaphylaxis recorded in Australia.