Americans trust that the food they buy in grocery stores is safe. But that is not always the case.
A number of nationwide food recalls have made headlines over the last year. First, a listeria outbreak in Boar’s Head deli meat killed 10 people. Then McDonald’s quarter-pounder hamburgers were linked to E. Coli outbreaks, killing one person while hospitalizing 27.
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Also in 2024, Costco recalled smoked salmon, and earlier this month, Johnsonville recalled a line of sausage products because many packages were contaminated with plastic particles. No one was sickened in either case.
Food recalls happen often
Food recalls have been rising lately, after falling during the pandemic. The Food and Drug Administration says a total of 1,908 products were recalled between September 2023 and 2024.
What is causing the outbreaks?
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Food safety experts trace this problem to an increase in the number of convenience foods, coupled with unsanitary farming practices and unclean facilities. Contamination with allergens is the most common reason (38%) for a recall, followed by bacterial contamination (21.8%), and then contamination with a foreign object (11%).
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The Food and Drug Administration has had the power to regulate most food facilities since 2011, making it possible for authorities to detect pathogens in foods during inspections. That means some contaminations are caught before the foods enter the food supply.
In response to the increase in recall events, the FDA has a new “traceability” rule that will go into effect in 2026, aiming to keep track of products as they enter the supply chain.
The most recent recall is especially concerning because it involves lead contamination in baby food. Lead exposure is dangerous for babies and toddlers. There is no amount of lead exposure that is safe for children, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Even trace amounts can cause cognitive impairment, and cause both developmental and behavioral problems. Lead exposure can also cause kidney problems that last into adulthood.
Several flavors of Target’s Good & Gather baby food face a recall.
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Target is recalling baby food
Target (TGT) is recalling 25,600 containers of a Target-branded baby food due to lead contamination, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The food bears Target’s “Good & Gather” label and is made for infants 6 months and older. The affected flavor is Pea, Zucchini, Kale & Thyme Vegetable Puree. The food is sold in 4-ounce packages and distributed to Target stores nationwide.
The baby food is a Class II recall: a situation in which use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.
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“At Target, we’re committed to providing safe, high-quality products for our guests. We require our suppliers to comply with all applicable food safety standards and federal, state, and local regulations,” the company said in a statement. “This recall involved a limited amount of product, which we took immediate action to remove from our shelves.”
The products affected are labeled with lot numbers 4169 and 4167, code UPC 1 91907-99314 1, and have sell by dates of Dec. 7 and Dec. 9, 2025.
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