What the published data shows. Recalls and penalty notices show what's detected and reported, so they understate the true picture. A rising count can also mean better detection.
866food recalls coordinated in Australia, 2016 to 2025, averaging 87 a yearFSANZ
46%of recalls from 2021 to 2025 were for undeclared allergens (197 of 427)FSANZ
46%of undeclared allergen recalls were found through a customer complaint (91 of 197)FSANZ
121foodborne outbreaks in Australia in 2019: 2,428 people ill, at least 402 hospital admissions, 4 deathsOzFoodNet
Food recalls in Australia per year
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| Year | recalls |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 72 |
| 2017 | 69 |
| 2018 | 100 |
| 2019 | 87 |
| 2020 | 109 |
| 2021 | 80 |
| 2022 | 75 |
| 2023 | 87 |
| 2024 | 95 |
| 2025 | 92 |
Most recalls are precautionary, and only a small number are linked to reported illness or injury. Source: , read from its Figure 2.
Why food was recalled
Undeclared allergensMicrobial contaminationForeign matterChemical and biotoxinLabelling and all other
Show the data as a table
| Reason | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undeclared allergens | 38 | 29 | 41 | 54 | 35 |
| Microbial contamination | 19 | 18 | 23 | 9 | 23 |
| Foreign matter | 5 | 11 | 7 | 14 | 22 |
| Chemical and biotoxin | 5 | 11 | 2 | 8 | 4 |
| Labelling and all other | 13 | 6 | 14 | 10 | 8 |
Grouped by MFC from FSANZ's nine categories. Source: , read from its Figure 3.
What caused undeclared allergen recalls, 2021 to 2025
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| recalls | |
|---|---|
| Error during packaging | 48 |
| Accidental cross-contamination | 37 |
| Supplier verification issue | 37 |
| Label error | 35 |
| Allergen labelling knowledge | 22 |
| Other | 14 |
| Unknown | 4 |
Most of these are process failures that a business can control. Totals added by MFC across years from FSANZ's Figure 8.
Who found the undeclared allergen, 2021 to 2025
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| recalls | |
|---|---|
| Customer complaint | 91 |
| Other or not reported | 43 |
| Routine testing by the company | 28 |
| Routine government testing | 25 |
| Distributor or retailer complaint | 10 |
Customers were the most common way problems came to light. Source: , Table 2.
Which microbes caused recalls, 2021 to 2025
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| recalls | |
|---|---|
| Listeria monocytogenes | 36 |
| Salmonella | 18 |
| Potential microbial contamination | 14 |
| Escherichia coli | 13 |
| Other, multiple or single-recall organisms | 10 |
Source: , Figure 9.
What businesses changed after a recall, 2021 to 2025
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| % | |
|---|---|
| Staff training | 18 |
| Amended handling procedures | 13 |
| Altered product label | 13 |
| Other | 13 |
| Improved communication procedures | 10 |
| Improved manufacturing process | 7 |
| Altered product ingredients | 7 |
| Improved hygiene practices | 6 |
| New critical control points | 5 |
| New or changed equipment | 4 |
| Changed supplier | 4 |
Share of reported . 78% of businesses reported more than one. Source: , Figure 5.
| Where and when | Outbreaks | People ill | Hospital admissions | Deaths | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia, 2019 | 121 | 2,428 | At least 402 | 4 | OzFoodNet annual report |
| Australia, 2018 | 127 | 1,644 | 283 | 13 | As reported from OzFoodNet |
| European Union, 2023 | 5,691 | 52,127 | 2,894 | 65 | EFSA and ECDC |
| World, 2021 | n/a | 866 million | n/a | 1.52 million | WHO estimate, not comparable with outbreak counts |
18%of 2024 foodborne outbreaks in NSW Health's report involved food contaminated by an ill food handlerNSW Health, OzFoodNet 2024
18%involved inadequate temperature controlNSW Health, OzFoodNet 2024
474penalty notices published against 257 facilities on the NSW Food Authority register in 2021 to 2022NSW Food Authority, as reported
4,695EU food and feed alert notifications in 2023, with 856 for pathogens, including 582 for SalmonellaRASFF, as reported