How Safe is Your Food? — Major recalls and severe outbreaks of foodborne illness have shaken consumer confidence

July 28, 2025

What You Need to Know About Food Recalls

Moong (Mung) beans are a nutritional powerhouse — packed with protein, fiber, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, and essential amino acids. They’re beneficial for digestion and heart health; they may help lower blood sugar levels and aid in weight loss; and they can support a healthy pregnancy, as they contain significant levels of folate.

However, this week, a brand of Moong beans sold nationwide (Deep) has been recalled in connection with a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened 11 people across 10 states, with four becoming ill enough to require hospitalization.

When you order a delicious deli turkey sandwich for lunch, bite into a cool, crunchy cucumber or snappy organic carrot, toss a handful of organic walnuts into your salad, or scramble eggs for your kids’ breakfast, you’re doing your best to make healthy choices — and you rely on the safety of our food supply.

According to the 2022 Global Food Security Index, out of 113 countries analyzed, the U.S. ranks third for food quality and safety.

Yet according to estimates from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year in the United States:

• 1 in 6 people (48 million) get sick from a foodborne illness
• 128,000 people are hospitalized due to a foodborne illness
• 3,000 people die from sicknesses related to contaminated food

The severity of foodborne illness ranges widely, from mild to severe and even deadly. Many people with mild illnesses recover on their own at home without visiting a doctor, making it unlikely that those infections are ever reported.

Children under five years old, older adults (over 65), pregnant women, and individuals with compromised immune systems are more vulnerable to severe infections from foodborne pathogens.

According to the February 2025 Food for Thought 2025 report by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) Education Fund, not only did more people get sick from foodborne illness in 2024 than in the previous year, but “hospitalizations [and] deaths from contaminated food doubled…as recalls from Salmonella, Listeria and E. coli increased by 41%; 98% of all illnesses [were] linked to just 13 outbreaks.”  (Twelve out of those 13 outbreaks involved Listeria, Salmonella, or E. coli.)

Reporting on the PIRG study, the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) pointed out, “the number of Americans with confirmed illness caused by contaminated food rose by 25%” year over year. Yet, the total number of recall announcements declined. This could be due to fewer inspections or underreporting, and does not indicate greater safety.

2024’s headline-making outbreaks of foodborne illness

A 19-state outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes, linked to Boar’s Head deli meat, sickened 61 people, 60 were hospitalized, and is suspected in 10 deaths. A USDA investigation identified numerous safety failures at a Virginia facility producing liverwurst.

E. coli O157:H7 linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers sickened 104 people across 14 states, resulting in 34 hospitalizations and one fatality. The FDA traced the most likely source of the contamination to raw slivered onions.

Cucumbers contaminated with Salmonella caused two major outbreaks. First, 551 cases of illness, including 155 hospitalizations, across 34 states prompted Fresh Start Produce Sales, Inc. to issue a recall in May 2024. Then, in November, an outbreak linked to cucumbers from Mexico resulted in 113 illnesses, with 38 hospitalizations, in 23 states.

Other significant outbreaks 

Ground beef with E. coli caused 19 illnesses in 4 states.

Additional E. coli-related illnesses were linked to organic carrots, organic walnuts, and raw cheddar cheese.

Cotija cheese, queso fresco, and certain yogurt products produced by Modesto, California-based Rizo-López Food, which are sold in stores nationwide, including under the Whole Foods brand, were recalled due to listeria contamination that caused more than two dozen illnesses and at least two deaths across 11 states.

Eggs (Milo’s Poultry) contaminated with Salmonella  Enteritidis caused 93 illnesses and 34 hospitalizations spanning 12 states.

Charcuterie meats and fresh organic basil have also been linked to Salmonella outbreaks.

The first half of 2025 has seen an increase in outbreaks of Salmonella in eggs and cucumbers, as well as Listeria in Ready-to-Eat (RTE) foods by Fresh & Ready Foods LLC, and in frozen supplemental shakes and packaged fettuccine Alfredo.

Can you trust our food supply?

Recent surveys have revealed a decline in trust in our food systems.

According to Gallup, between 1999 and 2006, 8 in 10 Americans had confidence in food safety. After a massive Salmonella outbreak in 2007, the rate dropped to about 70%.  Data from 2008 and 2019 showed those numbers holding relatively steady.

But a 2024 Gallup poll found that consumer confidence in the government’s ability to ensure the safety of our food supply has reached a record low. While 57% now say they have at least a fair amount of confidence in the government to keep food safe, 28% of Americans do not have much confidence, and 14% have “none at all.”

Likewise, separate questions showed that faith in the safety of grocery store food is down, too.

While the data reflects certain partisan divides, overall, Gallup reports, “Aside from political parties, declining confidence is consistent across nearly all demographic subgroups.”

According to Science News, recent widespread “layoffs at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Department of Agriculture and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention” — agencies that “work together with local governments, farms, food companies, distributors and restaurants to help keep meat, dairy, produce and other foods safe” — could endanger our complex and layered food safety system, eroding protections.

Who is liable if you get sick from food?

Food poisoning can result in substantial medical bills, lost wages during your recovery time, and a lot of misery. When you’ve gotten sick due to someone else’s negligence, you deserve compensation.

Potential liable parties for foodborne illness lawsuits include:

• Farms
• Manufacturers and processing plants
• Distributors and suppliers
• Food wholesalers
• Retail outlets such as grocery stores
• Restaurants, hotels, catering companies, and event organizers

Unfortunately, foodborne illnesses and contaminants can be difficult to trace through the vast web of processes and players that get a piping hot dish to your table in a restaurant or groceries to your home, and proving negligence can be challenging.

The experienced personal injury attorneys at Aitken * Aitken * Cohn don’t shy away from tough cases. If you’ve suffered a serious illness due to contaminated food, contact our skilled and compassionate team today.

Written on Behalf of Aitken Aitken Cohn