Recall announcements issued by USDA for meat and poultry products and FDA for other foods keep processors current, help them better understand major issues and serve as excellent teaching tools.
A significant percentage of recalls are now attributed to food allergens. They range from the accidental, where there is inadvertent cross-contact between products, to ones that are downright silly, such as when a product is packaged in the wrong container or a package is not properly checked before use.