title: Recalls of foods due to microbiological contamination classified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, fiscal years 2003 through 2011.
abstract: Recalls of foods contaminated with pathogens help reduce the transmission of infectious diseases. Here, we summarize the number and nature of foods recalled as a result of microbiological contamination, classified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the period 1 October 2002 through 30 September 2011. Microbiological contamination accounted for 1,395 (42%) of 3,360 recalls of food during this period. Nuts and edible seeds, followed by fishery-seafood products and spices, were the types of products most commonly recalled for microbiological contamination. Salmonella contamination accounted for the greatest number of food products recalled due to microbiological contamination, and was the pathogen most often linked to reported outbreaks involving recalled food products.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, College Park, Maryland 20740, USA.
authors.forename: Manashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dey
authors.forename: Jonathan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mayo
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Saville
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wolyniak
authors.forename: Karl C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Klontz
mesh_terms: D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D009754:Nuts; D057051:Product Recalls and Withdrawals; D017365:Spices; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration