In this article we welcome guest author and industry expert, Alec Kyriakides, to explore some of the food safety developments, recalls and incidents that have happened recently.

 

Food Safety Developments

 

Gut microbiome interactions

The role of the gut microbiome in health-related conditions including food borne disease has received significant research and public attention in recent years. There are many uncertainties brought about by the challenges in untangling the multiple variables that exist in this ecosystem. A recent workshop conducted by the UK Committee on Toxicity reviewed the evidence of the impact of xenobiotics on the microbiome and produced an interesting and insightful report.

 

Increased risk from Vibrio species

The European Centre for Infectious Diseases has issued an advisory note regarding the increased risk of infections from Vibrio species during the summer months. These organisms reside in brackish waters and proliferate in the warmer temperatures and lower salinity levels during these periods. Although Vibrio species including V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus are traditionally associated with foodborne disease from the consumption of raw and undercooked shellfish, many vibrios can cause ear or wound infections when bathing or coming into contact with water with high levels of the organism.

 

Employee wellbeing

The focus of this monthly article is on food safety but many professionals in our industry are equally focussed on protecting the health and wellbeing of colleagues in their businesses and operations. There are many useful reference sources for health and safety advice and data and, like food safety, there are valuable insights that can be drawn from reviewing incidents experienced by other businesses to ensure similar aspects that led to failures are not vulnerabilities in your own business. The UK Health and Safety Executive publishes general advice on these matters together with specific advice for sectors such as the food and drink industry. It also provides valuable insight in its reports on accident statistics with examples of food and drink industry case studies and prosecutions. The HSE has also recently published statistics on work related fatalities in 2024 – 25.

 

Consumer Insights in the UK and USA

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) published its annual report from its monthly Consumer Insights Tracker (CIT) summarising the key findings between April 2024 – March 2025. The top two consumer concerns were food prices (9 out of 10), and more ultra-processed / over-processing of food (>75%). A question regarding cell-cultivated meat indicated that about a quarter of respondents would be willing to give it a try, while almost 60% would not include it in their diet. Of the actions reported by consumers to save money that involved increased potential food safety risk, about 25% of them reported one or more of the following; reduced the length of time food is cooked for; lowered the cooking temperature for food; turned off a fridge/freezer containing food; changed fridge/freezer settings to a warmer temperature; ate food cold because they could not afford to cook it. The FSA launched a new food safety campaign to promote its advice on food safety practices.

 

The International Food Information Council (IFIC) published its annual report on the perceptions, beliefs, and behaviours or American consumers regarding food and food-purchasing decisions. This online survey of 3000 Americans aged 18-80 years, highlighted that confidence in the safety of U.S. food supply had fallen to an all-time low with only 55% feeling very confident or somewhat confident. The top food safety issues identified in their top 3 concerns by consumers were foodborne illness (50%), carcinogens and cancer-causing chemicals (47%) and pesticide and pesticide residues (46%). One third of Americans believe imported foods are less safe than foods produced or grown in the U.S.

 

Pesticide residue data published

The UK Health and Safety Executive (UKHSE) published the report on pesticide residues in food for 2023 that is a risk-based surveillance programme of foods in the UK supply chain. The programme analysed 3647 samples of 28 different foods and reported 1791 samples (49.11%) had none of the residues tested for, 1798 samples (49.30%) had residues found at or below the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) and 58 Samples (1.59%) had residues above the MRL. Products with residues above the MRL were predominantly fruit, vegetables and dried foods including beans with pods, peas edible pods, carrot, cauliflower, oranges and dried beans.

 

Retail food surveillance sampling

The Food Standards Agency published the results of its targeted surveillance sampling of retail food on sale in physical and online retailers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for 2024 – 2025. Eight hundred and twenty-two products from 24 different food commodity types were sampled. Of the products tested for allergens, 4% had undeclared allergens with milk being the most common. Authenticity testing identified 6% that were inauthentic with non-Basmati rice (in Basmati rice) and non-pork meat (in pork sausages) being the main culprits. Unauthorised ingredients were found in 7% of the samples tested with non-permitted sweeteners and unauthorised / excessive colours being the main causes. Incorrect meat and fat content were the main reasons for the 13% of products that did not meet compositional requirements and labelling irregularities for allergens, date coding and nutritional declarations were found in 21% of products tested.

 

Data on infectious intestinal disease

Last month I highlighted the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) report on data on infectious disease in the year 2024 that showed a rise in infections caused by Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. in England and slight decreases in cases of STEC infection and cryptosporidiosis. This data was further enhanced with a report on gastrointestinal infections and outbreaks in England: 2023 to 2025 where there was interesting insight on outbreak data over those years. In 2024, there were 9 Campylobacter spp. outbreaks affecting 122 people, of which 28 were laboratory-confirmed cases. Larger outbreaks were associated with liver or products containing chicken or lamb liver e.g. pate or parfait. Three outbreaks were in care home settings and the remaining 6 outbreaks linked to consumption outside the home, in pubs or restaurants, or at events. Thirty-two outbreaks were caused by Cryptosporidium spp. with 1,544 known cases of which 547 were laboratory confirmed. Twenty-four outbreaks implicated commercial farms holding lambing events or to open or petting farms. Three outbreaks were associated with childcare and educational settings, 3 with swimming pool settings, 1 with the consumption of milkshake and 1 with the consumption of contaminated mains drinking water. Of the seven listeriosis outbreaks, implicated foods included smoked fish, garlic sausage and prepacked sandwiches. There were also seven salmonellosis outbreaks reported affecting 304 individuals of which 280 cases were laboratory confirmed implicating multiple different food vehicles including eggs, tomatoes and red meat products. Of the five STEC outbreaks (362 cases of which 348 were laboratory confirmed), all were caused by STEC non-O157 and food vehicles implicated included beef, fresh fruit, and salad leaves.

 

A similar report was issued by the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office in Switzerland relating to zoonoses and food-borne disease outbreaks in 2024. This report highlighted marked year on year increases in cases of campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis, similar to that reported in England. The report noted a significant decrease in cases of listeriosis. 

 

Slush Drinks

The UKFSA has launched a campaign to highlight the dangers of drinking excessive amounts of glycerol in slush ice drinks especially to children. The advice recommends restricting these drinks to one 350ml drink per day for children aged 7-10 years of age. Excessive glycerol intake over a short period may cause shock, very low blood sugar levels and loss of consciousness.

 

Vodka fraud

Counterfeit Vodka was also highlighted as a consumer risk by Food Standards Scotland due to the presence on isopropyl in 35cl bottles.

 

Foodborne disease outbreaks

 

A salmonellosis outbreak was reported at a festival in Spain linked to the consumption of tortillas that affected 162 individuals with 22 hospitalised. Cases of salmonellosis were reported to be associated with the consumption of dried eggshell membrane sold online that resulted in a number of public recalls. A salmonellosis outbreak implicating frozen mung and moth beans has caused 11 illnesses across 10 states in the USA. The strain implicated in the outbreak is S. Anatum. Similarly, the FDA is investigating a further salmonellosis outbreak of unknown origin affecting 24 people caused by S. Oranienburg. An outbreak of salmonellosis implicating the consumption of raw milk and raw milk products caused at least 4 cases of illness in Pennsylvania, USA. These were identified as part of a longstanding investigation of 70 cases of salmonellosis in the state since August 2024 with several individuals reporting the consumption of raw milk products from the same source. A recently published report highlighted the outcomes from an investigation of an outbreak caused by Salmonella Typhimurium in the USA linked to commercially distributed raw milk across four states with 171 cases. The number of cases of salmonellosis linked to the consumption of dried egg shell membrane in the UK has increased to four with isolates of the following serotypes being recovered from the product S. Enteritidis, S. Othmarschen and S. Livingston.

 

A report was recently published on an outbreak of botulism in the USA caused by the consumption of home-canned prickly-pear cactus (Nopales) resulting in 8 cases with two requiring mechanical ventilation. The practice of home-canning is commonplace in some countries and cases / outbreaks of botulism invariably occur due to under processing and / or improper preservation and guidance on the safe preservation of such foods is available. Another botulism outbreak was reported in France resulting in the hospitalisation of 6 people where carrots in jars were the implicated food.

 

Fifty eight people have been reportedly affected by an outbreak in the USA caused by Cyclospora cayetanensis although the food vehicle has yet to be identified.

 

A report on the investigation of an outbreak of illness caused by Yersinia enterocolitica that affected 175 people in France and seven in three other European countries concluded that soft unpasteurised goat’s milk cheese was the most likely cause.

 

A listeriosis outbreak in Ireland implicating ready-to-heat meals has resulted in 7 cases and one death.

 

An algal bloom affecting 5000km2 of the South Australia coastline has reportedly killed more than 14000 marine animals. Although the specific dinoflagellate alga, Karenia mikimoto

Is not a species toxic to humans, this shows the significant potential for the development of other algal blooms that may be toxic to humans and reinforces the need for vigilance in waters where fish and shellfish are caught or harvested. A number of dinoflagellate algae can be harmful to humans causing illnesses such as diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP), paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) and neurotoxic shellfish poisoning (NSP). They are particularly associated with filter feeding bivalve molluscs.

 

 

Consumption of a steamed red date cake and sausage corn bun was reported to have caused 233 cases of illness in children at a kindergarten in China due to lead intoxication. The lead is believed to have been present due to the use of an illegal paint / dye although exact details are not clear but levels of lead between 1052mg/kg and 1340mg/kg were found to be present in the product with the national food safety standard limit being reported as 0.5mg/kg.

 

A number of illnesses were reported following the consumption of a Vitamin D supplement which contained excessive amounts of the vitamin. Fifteen people were reported to have suffered illness including acute renal failure. Supplements with excessive Vitamin D have been subject to previous recalls this year.

 

Food Recall Highlights

 

The data used for this food recall highlights review is sourced from open access recall databases covering different countries and continents including the USA (Food & Drug Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture), the UK (Food Standards Agency), Germany (Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety) and Australia (Food Standards Australia New Zealand).

 

Microbiological recalls were driven by a large number due to contamination with Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes. Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) was notable by its absence this month which, of course, is always a good thing.

 

 

Allergen recalls were notable by the absence of those caused be gluten although milk remained the most common cause of recalls.

 

 

Physical contamination events were on the increase and the key drivers were spread between glass, metal and plastic.

 

 

Chemical recalls included a large number of due to contamination with Aflatoxin.

 

 

  

   

Author

Alec Kyriakides

Independent Food Safety Consultant