In this age of seemingly constant foodborne illness outbreaks, food recalls have become more and more common. What leads to a food being recalled? CNN has a helpful explainer. Recalls typically aren't issued by the Food and Drug Administration, but instead by the companies that make the products in question. They tend to fall in two categories:
- Foods that have already made people sick
- Foods that have been spotted as potential problems by inspectors
The terrible Listeria-related ice cream recalls of 2015 are solid examples of those categories. Blue Bell Creameries issued a total recall of its products after a multiple deaths connected to Listeria. Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, on the other hand, issued a recall as soon as it detected Listeria at a production facility. That move likely prevented consumers from falling ill.
Watch the video above to get the complete scoop on American food recalls.