By Darin Detwiler and Hal King
The past year has been defined by a troubling series of foodborne outbreaks and recalls, underscoring systemic weaknesses in the U.S. food safety system. From Listeria-contaminated deli products to E. coli-tainted produce, these incidents aren’t just unfortunate—they’re symptomatic of a larger issue: America’s predominantly reactive approach to food safety.
As food safety experts with decades of experience in industry, academia, and policy, we’ve seen how these crises unfold time and again. Outbreaks make headlines, recalls are announced, and regulators investigate. Companies issue promises to invest in food safety measures, yet once public attention fades, many fall back into old habits. This familiar cycle is frustratingly persistent.
“I often describe this as the seemingly endless cycle of crisis and reform,” Darin explains. Hal echoes this sentiment: “When outbreaks occur, companies scramble to fix the immediate issue, but without systemic changes, the industry returns to the same practices. The cycle continues.”
It’s time to break this cycle. In this editorial, we reflect on the patterns we observed in 2024, discuss the urgent need for corporate accountability, and propose solutions for creating a more proactive, effective food safety system.
Observing the patterns of 2024
The breadth of recalls and outbreaks in 2024 has been described in the news as “staggering.” Incidents spanned nearly every sector of the food industry, including multi-state outbreaks tied to carrots, walnuts, cantaloupes, cucumbers, onions, and ready-to-eat meals. Massive recalls of meat and poultry products involved millions of pounds. Troublingly, recalls for products containing heavy metals—like lead in cinnamon—also emerged as a recurring issue.
Listeria was particularly relentless, appearing in a wide range of foods, including deli items, nuts, frozen waffles, meats, and even guacamole. Despite advancements in detection technology, the sheer number of Listeria-related recalls suggests deep-rooted issues, including poor sanitation, inadequate preventive measures, and a lack of accountability.
Reflecting on the past year, two key lessons stand out.
First, no company is immune to food safety failures, regardless of size or reputation. Even a century-old company like Boar’s Head (founded in 1905) and a restaurant chain as global as McDonald’s faced deadly outbreaks this year.
Second, if we think our food safety system is “working,” it’s only because we’ve resigned ourselves to a reactive model. The idea that our system is “working” rings hollow when you consider how often these needless outbreaks and recalls occur. We have the tools to prevent them — we just aren’t using them effectively.
The accountability gap
One of the most glaring issues is the lack of meaningful accountability for food companies and their executives. The landmark 2015 sentencing of Peanut Corporation of America executives — tied to the deadly 2008-2009 Salmonella outbreak — showed that criminal charges could be a powerful deterrent. Yet, in recent years, such accountability has been rare. Instead, companies often pay substantial fines but avoid making fundamental changes to their practices.
Boar’s Head provides a striking example. In 2024, the company faced more than 65 USDA critical violations and a deadly outbreak linked to its deli meats, which caused 61 illnesses, 60 hospitalizations, and 10 deaths across 19 states. Despite an ongoing investigation, history suggests the outcome will likely be a hefty fine, not criminal charges.
If Boar’s Head’s executives get away with paying a huge fine but no criminal charges, it sends the wrong message to the industry. Executives know they can pay a fine and go back to business as usual. Until there’s personal accountability — real consequences for leaders — nothing will change.
Moving toward proactive solutions
To address food safety failures, we need to fundamentally shift from reacting to crises to preventing them. Here are five critical steps we believe the food industry must take:
- Hold leadership accountable
Corporate leaders set the tone for food safety culture. When executives prioritize profits over safety, the system suffers. Holding them personally accountable — through criminal charges, fines, or other penalties — is essential to driving change. Until executives know they’ll face consequences for neglecting food safety, they have little reason to change their behavior. - Enforce proactive management systems
Companies should be required to demonstrate compliance with FDA food safety plans before operations are allowed to begin. A permitting system where food manufacturers must provide FSMA FDA- based food safety plans as the license to prepare and sell food is needed. This would address risks upfront, rather than waiting for inspections to discover noncompliance or outbreaks to reveal them. Too many companies rely on corporate programs but not facility-based food safety plans and practices and many don’t have a proper food safety plan that declares and controls all hazards. A permitting system tied to risk-based inspections would make compliance non-negotiable. - Leverage economic incentives
Insurance companies could play a role by charging higher premiums to businesses lacking robust safety systems, creating a market-driven incentive for compliance. When safety systems are tied to financial rewards or penalties, companies have a clear reason to invest in doing the right thing. - Incorporate corporate accountability
Food safety must become a financial imperative at the corporate level. Involving the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in food safety oversight as is currently used to ensure corporate governance and financial integrity would be a start. Tying food safety performance to SEC oversight and the resultant stock valuation would create a powerful economic incentive for compliance. Imagine a company knowing their compliance to the SEC that enables them to sell stock could be effected because of poor food safety practices. Investors would also demand better governance of food safety integrity, and food safety would become as critical to executives as quarterly profits. - Invest in technology and processes
The technology to reduce foodborne risks exists but is often underutilized. From rapid pathogen detection to advanced sanitization techniques, adopting these tools could significantly reduce contamination risks. The potential of produce sanitization systems capable of achieving a 5-log reduction in pathogens is needed. Innovation isn’t just about developing new tools. It’s about standardizing and implementing the best existing ones.
Looking forward
The well-worn claim that “we have the safest food supply in the world” feels increasingly difficult to defend in light of 2024’s alarming food safety record. Lives have been lost, public trust has been eroded, and the financial cost of recalls has reached staggering levels. Yet, these outcomes are preventable.
We believe the U.S. food industry has the people, systems, and science to do better. If we move from solely reacting to crises to proactively preventing them, we can build a food safety system that works for everyone.
At the same time, industry leaders must recognize their role in driving change. Food safety isn’t just a cultural issue or a compliance checkbox — it’s a core business responsibility. Companies that invest in robust safety systems will not only protect their customers but also demonstrate brand equity and business value to the public and their investors because of reduced financial risk.
We also call on regulators and policymakers to step up. The tools and frameworks already exist, but they need to be enforced consistently and effectively. Whether through stronger permitting systems, SEC oversight, or innovative technology, the solutions are within reach.
Our vision for 2025 and beyond is clear: Enforce stronger accountability measures, integrate food safety governance into corporate leadership, and invest in proactive systems to prevent outbreaks before they occur. This isn’t just about protecting consumers — it’s about creating a food safety system that fosters trust, saves lives, and supports sustainable business growth.
About the Authors
Darin Detwiler, LP.D., is the CEO of Detwiler Consulting Group with more than 30 years of experience in food safety policy and regulation and the recipient of IAFP’s 2022 Ewen C.D. Todd Control of Foodborne Illness Award as well as their 2018 Distinguished Service Award for dedicated and exceptional contributions to the reduction of risks of foodborne illness. He is an author of several books, keynote speaker, and an Associate Professor of food policy, corporate social responsibility, and global economics of food and agriculture.
Hal King, Ph.D., is the Managing Partner at Active Food Safety, an Advisory Services partnership for the food industry. Hal is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine and the College of Public Health, and is the author of several books on the corporate governance of food safety management in the foodservice industry, and the author of numerous food industry publications that help the industry identify risk and prevent foodborne disease outbreaks. Hal is the recipient of the 2018 NSF International Food Safety Leadership and Innovation Award, and is formally the Director of Food and Product Safety at Chick-fil-A Inc. where he led the Food Safety Management Program under Tom Childers for over 10 years.
