Eating food is becoming riskier. A new report from U.S. PIRG shows that more Americans got sick from contaminated food in 2024 compared to the previous year. Even more alarming, the number of people who were hospitalized or died from foodborne illnesses doubled, according to U.S. PIRG Education Fund’s new report, Food for Thought 2025.
Key findings
- More than 500 people were hospitalized or died from contaminated food in 2024, up from about 240 in 2023.
- Recalls due to Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli increased significantly, making up 39% of all recalls.
- One-third of all food recalls were caused by undeclared allergens or ingredients that could make people sick.
In total, nearly 1,400 people got sick in 2024—98% of them from just 13 major outbreaks. Most of these outbreaks were caused by Listeria, Salmonella, or E. coli.
“This tells us that some companies aren’t doing enough to prevent bacteria from contaminating our food,” said Teresa Murray, Consumer Watchdog Director at U.S. PIRG Education Fund. She added that many companies also fail to test food properly, allowing contaminated products to reach consumers.
The numbers confirm that food safety was a big issue in 2024. Some major recalls made headlines, including Boar’s Head deli meats and McDonald’s Quarter Pounders. While recalls of meat and poultry decreased, the FDA saw a rise in recalls of other foods, including fruits, vegetables, and snacks.
“Once again, everything from soup to nuts threatened our health in 2024,” Murray said. “If food producers and packagers just focused more on being sanitary and labeling packages for allergens, our food would be so much safer.”