Poultry recalls at their highest since 2002
Recalls of chicken and other poultry meats have reached their highest level since 2002, according to a report from product recalls specialist, Stericycle ExpertSOLUTIONS.
According to Stericycle’s Q2 2017 Recall and Notifcation Index, food recalls have reached the third highest total since 1999, with the higher-than-average volume coming to nearly ten food recalls every day, or a total of 959 notifications in the second quarter – an increase of 24% on the previous one.
The report has found that there were 223 recalls of poultry products in the last quarter, with bacterial contamination behind more than 93% of poultry meat withdrawals.
Salmonella was reportedly the main factor responsible for poultry contamination.
According to Stericycle, the rise in poultry recalls is “directly linked to the recent curtailing by the EU of meat imports from Brazil”.
The report also indicated that 66.5% of food recalls originated in non-EU countries, with Brazil being the major exporter during the second quarter.
Other exporters included India with 68 recalls, Turkey with 60 and China with 51.
Spain was the only EU country in the top five, with 70 recalls.
Farzad Henareh, European vice president at Stericycle ExpertSOLUTIONS, commented: “The ongoing investigation of food inspection practices in Brazil continues to have a serious knock-on effect for EU imports.
“However, recalls relating to food originating from other countries indicates that the industry still needs to employ the most rigorous approach to food safety, and the risks remain high.”
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