Climate Matters: Food recalls may be affected by climate change
Recalls have been popping up in more headlines in recent years as allergens, pathogens, and sometimes foreign objects contaminate our food. These outbreaks have been getting worse and climate change could be affecting foodborne illnesses.
Pathogens like bacteria and viruses are the second highest cause of recalls behind allergens, and these outbreaks have been getting lots of attention recently. Premiere deli meats from Boar's Head were recalled and one of their Virginia factories shuttered this summer after an outbreak of listeria killed 10 people. Most recently, onions in McDonald's Quarter Pounders were linked to an outbreak of E. coli that has led to 1 death and dozens of hospitalizations.
These outbreaks can be due to accidental contamination and improper handling and storage, and viruses like norovirus also continue to spread once reaching consumers. A changing climate may be changing how these pathogens spread with weather patterns affecting several levels of the food supply.
Dr. Azlin Mustapha, a food scientist at the University of Missouri, says warmer temperatures, floods, and droughts affected by climate change all have impacts on foodborne pathogens. "They can survive better, and they can even multiply depending on the warmer temperatures." Dr. Mustapha pointed to the recent hurricanes in Florida driving an increase in foodborne illnesses due to a bacteria known as vibrio vulnificus.
You can easily mitigate the risk of foodborne illness by ensuring food is cooked thoroughly and stored properly. Always check that meats have reached the required internal temperature to kill any pathogens, and keep food out of the "danger zone" between 40 and 140 degrees where bacteria flourish.
