Mérieux NutriSciences released its latest bi-monthly report that focuses on recalls, regulatory changes and food alerts that impact the food industry in both North America and globally.
In the United States, a year-to-date comparison of FDA food recalls from January–April 2025 versus the same period in 2024 reveals a 93% increase in recalls due to foreign materials like glass, plastic or metal fragments. Additionally, data from Mérieux NutriSciences' Safety HUD tool indicates that recalls related to allergens and biological contaminants have decreased by 17% and 67%, respectively.
Labeling errors like undeclared allergens are a leading cause of recalls for FDA-regulated food products. From January to April 2025, recalls were initiated due to labeling errors involving color additives (such as Blue 1, Yellow 5, Red 40 and Red 3), as well as inaccuracies in the declared values for sodium, iodine and caffeine.
An analysis of year-to-date Safety HUD recall data for the U.S. reveals significant changes in food categories compared to the same period in 2024. Recalls have notably decreased in nuts and seeds by 56%, ice and desserts by 95%, and herbs and spices by 88%. Conversely, there has been a 57% increase in recalls for fruits, vegetables and legumes.
In the regulatory arena, Mérieux NutriSciences noted that the CDC recently updated previous foodborne illness estimates.
An evaluation of U.S. foodborne illness data found that seven primary pathogens caused 9.9 million cases of illness, 53,300 hospitalizations and 931 deaths in 2019. The CDC’s report marks the first significant assessment of foodborne illness data since 2011.
The CDC identified Norovirus, Campylobacter and Salmonella as the leading agents responsible for most foodborne illness cases. Salmonella accounted for 1.3 million illnesses and was also the leading cause of death associated with foodborne illness in 2019.
The CDC said that these estimates can serve as a foundation for attributing illnesses to specific food categories. When combined with other information, such as the primary food sources of illnesses, the affected population groups and the costs of making food safer, the CDC said that these estimates can be used to prioritize food safety interventions.
Mérieux NutriSciences’ report also highlights additional regulatory changes in North America at the federal and state levels, as well as regulatory changes happening in other countries.