{"id":59668,"date":"2024-10-31T17:08:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-31T16:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hiperbaric.com\/?p=59668"},"modified":"2024-11-04T08:26:25","modified_gmt":"2024-11-04T07:26:25","slug":"food-recalls-in-2024-how-hpp-can-meet-safety-standards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hiperbaric.com\/en\/food-recalls-in-2024-how-hpp-can-meet-safety-standards\/","title":{"rendered":"Food Recalls in 2024: How HPP Can Meet Safety Standards"},"content":{"rendered":"

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With the recent news of food recalls, it seems that 2024 has been a busy year for the food industry. However, international food safety authorities have dealt with these preventative measures to protect consumers for years. From bacterial contamination to undeclared allergens, the food industry is challenged to meet the most stringent safety measures. One emerging solution that stands out for its effectiveness is High-Pressure Processing (HPP). In this blog post, we explore the key food recall notifications from 2024 and examine how HPP offers a viable solution to minimize such risks in the future.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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What can cause food to be recalled?<\/h2>\n

Food can be recalled for several reasons, for example, contamination with pathogens like Listeria<\/em> or Salmonella<\/em> that could give you food poisoning, or because of manufacturing faults, such as plastic or metal being found in the product. Incorrect or missing allergen information can also lead to an allergen recall.<\/p>\n

2024: A year in review<\/h2>\n

The recent food recalls <\/strong>underscore the importance of vigilance and traceability in the food industry. Let’s look at some of this year’s data.<\/p>\n

In the United States, the FDA<\/strong><\/a> and USDA<\/strong><\/a> food safety agencies have registered a total of 229 notifications. The presence of allergens in food and drink products dominates food recalls. Almost half of all recalls from the FDA Food and Beverage notifications (41.6%) are related to undeclared allergens on packaging. In comparison, other major reasons for recalls are Listeria<\/em> contamination (22.7%), Salmonella<\/em> contamination (13.5%) and other chemical hazards such as heavy metals or other pollutants (13.5%; Figure 1). Other causes of food recall across this country include the presence of foreign bodies, unsanitary conditions, or labelling errors (not allergy-related).<\/p>\n

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Figure 1. FDA Food and Beverage notifications from January to October 2024. From Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts | FDA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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In Europe<\/strong>, it took us a little while to count and classify a whopping 3853 food notifications reported this year (RASFF Window, October 2024<\/a>). This represents an 8% decrease from 2023, which recorded the highest number of notifications since 2020<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If we go into the categories, pesticide residues (797 notifications, 21%), pathogenic microorganisms (728, 19%) and mycotoxins (446, 12%) are the top notified hazard categories (Figure 2). Within the notifications related to pathogenic bacteria, following the same trend as in 2023, Salmonella<\/em> is the most frequent pathogenic microorganism (468), followed by Listeria monocytogenes<\/em> (147), norovirus (56) and Escherichia coli<\/em> (47).<\/p>\n

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Figure 2. RASFF food-related notifications from January to October 2024.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

These recalls not only threaten consumer health but also damage brand reputations and lead to significant financial losses for companies. This raises the question: How can we better protect both consumers and businesses?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The HPP Advantage<\/h2>\n

High Pressure Processing (HPP) is gaining recognition as a game-changing technology in the food safety sector. Unlike traditional methods of food preservation, HPP uses extreme pressure instead of heat<\/strong>, ensuring that harmful microorganisms are eliminated without altering the taste, texture, or nutritional value of food.<\/p>\n

Additionally, thanks to its remarkable versatility, HPP is a valuable tool in multiple food categories<\/a> such as juices, guacamole and salsas, meat products, seafood or ready-to-eat meals to name just a few.<\/p>\n

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Multiple HPP products in different packaging formats<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How Does HPP Work?<\/h3>\n

HPP implies submitting packaged products to high pressure levels \u2014up to 600 MPa\u2014to destroy pathogens. This method is particularly effective in combating bacteria like Listeria<\/em>, Salmonella<\/em>, and E. coli<\/em>, which are often responsible for foodborne illnesses and recalls.<\/p>\n

Moreover, HPP can extend the shelf life of products, reducing waste and lowering the chances of spoilage-related recalls<\/strong>. Many major food manufacturers have already adopted HPP to enhance food safety and quality. The following video explains how HPP works in every illustrative way:<\/p>\n