While it sure seems like there are more and more food recalls plaguing our grocery stores every day (and it's true—so far we've seen an 8% increase in recalls since last year), the truth is that we are just better at detecting pathogens and potential problems in our food due to advancement in technology. It is indeed a bit eyebrow-raising when you keep seeing headlines touting "potentially deadly" recalls day in and day out.
Just this year alone, we've seen those alerts for everything from chocolate to smoked salmon to pancake and waffle mix. Add to that findings of metal in certain foods like granola bars and mac and cheese bites and it's enough to deter anyone from packaged goods. To put some of this in context, a new study conducted by food safety experts at FOSS IQX found the states with the highest recall rates—the higher your state's recall rate, theoretically the greater your risk of encountering contaminated or unsafe food product. Knowing how your state stacks up against the rest might just make you reconsider that upcoming move!
The experts analyzed data from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service on food recalls in each state from 2010 all the way through 2024, along with the most common causes of the recalls. (Per the report, the top three most common reasons for food recalls in the U.S. are "product contamination," "misbranding," and "unreported allergens.") The company then compared these numbers with state populations to determine which states have the highest recall rates per 100,000 residents.
The 10 States With The Most Food Recalls Per Capita
- Vermont - 16 total recalls from 2010-2024 / 2.47 recalls per 100,000 citizens
- Wyoming - 13 / 2.23
- Rhode Island - 24 / 2.19
- Delaware - 21 / 2.04
- Maine - 26 / 1.86
- Alaska - 13 / 1.77
- Hawaii - 25 / 1.74
- Oregon - 68 / 1.61
- Connecticut - 58 / 1.60
- Utah - 52 / 1.52
The 10 States With The Least Food Recalls Per Capita
40. Ohio - 97 total recalls from 2010-2024 / 0.82 per 100,000 citizens
41. New York - 157 / 0.80
42. Georgia - 81 / 0.73
43. Tennessee - 52 / 0.73
44. Alabama - 36 / 0.70
45. Michigan - 66 / 0.66
46. South Carolina - 35 / 0.65
47. North Carolina - 67 / 0.62
48. California - 234 / 0.60
49. Texas - 178 / 0.58
50. Florida - 108 / 0.5014
It's important to remember that the number of food recalls in each state during the 14 years they were analyzed is also then compared to the state's overall population. With this in mind, Vermont took first place, with the most recalls over the years compared to the overall state's population. Conversely, residents in Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and South Carolina can take a deep breath because though the recall numbers are higher, they had the lowest food recall rates by population. How did your home state fare?
