Food recalls are happening everywhere right now, but it seems that some states are more affected than others.

READ MORE: Illinois Ice Pops recalled due to life-threatening allergy risk

In 2024, our area saw a whole host of food recalls, from string cheese and ground beef to cashews and cinnamon powder. While every circumstance was different, each of the recalls had the potential to cause serious health problems—some of them fatal. Personally, I feel like I’ve experienced more food recalls this year than at any other time in my life, and I’m not going crazy either. According to Neighbor Newspapers, the total number of food recalls has increased by 20% since 2020.

How many food products are recalled in the United States each year?

Consumer Affairs has conducted an analysis of food recall trends using data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Within the first six months of 2024, 237 products in the most dangerous Class I were recalled. However, the total number of Class I recalls appears to have decreased from 2023, when 789 foods in this classification were recalled during the same period.

Neighbor Newspapers, citing a study by Trace One, reported that the main causes of food recalls are contamination by allergens, bacteria and foreign bodies. Allergen contamination appears to be responsible for almost 40% of all cases. This type of contamination occurs when products are exposed to allergens (wheat, dairy, nuts, etc.) during manufacturing and is called “cross-contamination.”

Which states are most affected by food recalls?

The news portal broke down the data even further to see which states are most affected by food recalls. At number 1 is California, where 40% of all recalls affect residents. In addition, nearly 16% of all product recalls originate from California, which is more than double the share of the next state, New York. Following New York is Pennsylvania, followed by Illinois and then Texas. Indiana is a little further down the list at number 15, where over 27% of Indiana residents are affected by statewide recalls. Between 2020 and 2024, the number of recalls from Indiana totaled 15, accounting for 0.7% of all food recalls.

No matter where you live, it’s important to be aware of any food recalls that may affect your area. If you find a recalled product in your refrigerator or pantry, you can return it to the store where you purchased it and receive a refund or exchange. You can find a list of current recalls HERE.