ATLANTA — Big-name retailers like Kroger, Whole Foods, Walmart, and Trader Joe's are pulling millions of pounds of food because of a new recall.
The concern this time is that the ready-to-eat salads, wraps and pizzas may be contaminated with listeria or salmonella, and could make consumers sick. So far, there have been no reports anyone getting sick from this latest recall.
It may seem like we're reporting a new recall almost every day, but experts tell 11Alive's La'Tasha Givens, there's no reason to panic over all the recent recalls.
The CDC and FDA both say it’s imperative that consumers should be informed, but they also want to highlight that in most cases, the recalls are voluntary, not mandatory.
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To answer the question of why it may seem like there are more recalls and outbreaks this year than in previous years, the CDC cites two factors.
The first has to do with getting the word out. The CDC said it has communicated more this year about multi-state outbreaks than usual, but that doesn't mean there has been an increase in food borne illnesses or outbreaks.
Second, the testing they're using now is more accurate. That, in turn, yields more positive results more quickly.
And an FDA spokesperson wanted to stress that out of all the product recalls this year, only one of them has been mandatory. That means the companies, through their own testing, found a potential contamination or concern. And out of an abundance of caution, they take the products off the shelves – even if there are no reports of anyone getting sick.
