Food recalls across the nation increased 50 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011 and affected 80 percent more products compared with the previous three-month period, according to the quarterly ExpertRECALL, released by Stericycle. The ExpertRECALL Index report aggregates and tracks cumulative recall data from the CPSC and FDA. In contrast, recalls for consumer products, pharmaceutical and medical devices decreased compared with previous quarters.
Undeclared allergens remained the leading factor, accounting for more than a third of food recalls in the quarter. Concerns about Listeria contamination were the second-leading cause of fourth-quarter recalls, accounting for almost 20 percent of all food recalls listed on the FDA’s website from October through December.