Despite advances in technology and, in most countries, a rise in food safety standards, food recalls remain relatively common. A food recall is when a product being removed from the supply chain due to concerns that it may be unsafe and result in health issues when consumed.
Food can be recalled for a number of reasons, for example contamination with pathogens that could lead to food poisoning, or because of manufacturing faults, such as plastic or metal being found in the product. Incorrect or missing allergen information can also lead to an allergen recall.
To explore the root causes of recalls, Dr. Lars Fieseler, Head of the Food Microbiology Research Group at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences has shared is thoughts with Digital Journal about the main reasons behind recall incidents.
Before this, here are three major food recalls affecting multiple counties:
Migros, 2024
The company recalled its M-Classic lemon yogurt as a precaution after a quality control issue at the factory.
Ferrero, 2022
Kinder products across Europe were recalled after a bacterial (Salmonella typhimurium) outbreak.
Haribo, 2025
After lab tests identified trace amounts of cannabis in one batch of Happy Cola F!ZZ gummies, Haribo pulled the product from shelves in the Netherlands.
Reasons for recall
Even a minor quality control lapse in the lab can snowball into a public disaster, costing time, money, and consumer trust. According to Fieseler, there are some typical reasons for food recall, such as:
Poor hygiene in the production area
Many food companies underestimate the risk of secondary contamination during slicing, packaging, or storing products on the production floor.
Inconsistent quality checks
Differences in testing methods, inspection schedules, and safety protocols across production facilities can lead to missed contaminants, spoilage, or other defects.
Lack of traceability
Old-school methods like paper documents and Excel spreadsheets often result in disorganized data. Data gets lost or messed up, and it’s hard to tell where things have gone wrong.
Contaminated food can result in severe health risks, legal repercussions, and irreparable damage to a business’s reputation.
Being proactive
To minimise the risk of food recalls, companies should implement robust quality control, enhance traceability, and invest in employee training. This includes establishing a strict quality control measures at every stage of production, including raw material inspection, production line monitoring, and thorough testing.
A strong food safety culture, proactive hazard analysis, and thorough documentation are also crucial.
It is also important for companies to recognise that contamination can occur at any stage of manufacturing and distribution. This means that firms should ensure there is full transparency and traceability of goods throughout the supply chain.
