FDA Reportable Food Registry Report Cites Dangerous Trend in Undeclared Allergens
The proportion of additions to the Food and Drug Administration’s Reportable Food Registry involving imports has fallen each year since the program began in 2009, according to the 4th Reportable Food Registry Annual Report issued May 5. The report on FDA’s listing of human and animal foods that are food safety risks shows first-time entries both imported and domestic at their lowest level since reporting began, although the total number of reports is at its highest level since 2009-10. Undeclared allergens remains the top reason for filing reports, while salmonella in spices was the most common hazard for imports in 2012-13.
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FDA’s Reportable Food Registry (here) is a database of human and animal foods that could cause “serious adverse health consequences” or death. “Responsible parties” must submit reports of dangerous food to FDA within 24 hours of discovery. Reports may also be submitted by government public health officials. FDA recently said it is considering requiring all food facilities required to register with FDA to submit consumer-oriented information on reportable foods, that would then be posted on FDA’s website and would also have to be displayed at some grocery stores (see 14032516).
Total Entries Up in 2012-13; Undeclared Allergens a Large and Growing Problem
For the period between Sept. 8, 2012 and Sept. 7, 2013, reports of dangerous foods were up since the previous year. FDA received a total of 1,534 reports in 2012-13, compared to 1,471 in 2011-12. That still doesn’t approach the 2,600 submitted in 2009-10, however, although over 1,000 of those reports were related to a single outbreak. If the number of reports is limited to the number of first-time submissions, as opposed to subsequent reports related to the same outbreak, the number of additions to the registry was actually down in 2012-13. The number of first-time additions was 181 in 2012-13, compared to 196 in 2011-12.
| 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-time (“Primary”) | 188 | 201 | 196 | 181 |
| Total | 2,600 | 1,153 | 1,471 | 1,534 |
Undeclared allergens were the most common reason for reporting dangerous food in 2012-13, accounting for 88 out of 181 first-time additions to the list, or 43.6%. Salmonella and listeria contamination followed close behind:
| 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salmonella | 37.6% (86) | 38.2% (86) | 28.1% (63) | 28.7% (588) |
| Listeria | 14.4% (33) | 17.8% (40) | 21.4% (48) | 17.3% (35) |
| Allergens | 30.1% (69) | 38.3% (75) | 37.9% (85) | 13.6% (88) |
| % of Total | 82.1% (188) | 94.3% (201) | 87.4% (196) | 89.6% (181) |
The report cited higher numbers of reports involving undeclared allergens as a dangerous trend. “Undeclared allergens continue to be the leading cause of recalls and a leading cause of reportable foods for FDA regulated foods,” it said. “In addition, undeclared allergen-related reportable food reports have steadily increased since inception of the [Reportable Food Registry] program, representing 30.1% of reports in year 1 and rising to 43.6% of reports in year 4.”
Import Entries in Registry Falling
Out of the 181 first-time entries to the Reportable Foods Registry in 2012-13, 38 involved imported foods, said the report. Ten of those entries were related to salmonella contamination in spices or seasonings, and another seven were related to listeria and salmonella contamination of seafood. The proportion of first-time reports involving imported foods has fallen steadily since the first report was issued in 2009-10:
| 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Import Reports | 28.2% (53) | 27.9% (56) | 23.5% (46) | 21% (38) |
| Total | 188 | 201 | 196 | 181 |
According to the report, the country with the most reports of food on the registry has been China, which has either topped the list or been tied for the most in each year since the report was issued. However, in absolute terms, the number of reports involving China has been declining, from 13 in 2009-10 down to 6 in 2011-12 and 4 in 2012-13. For the latest year, Mexico also had 4 first-time reports, followed by Canada and Turkey with 3, and Thailand, Israel, Egypt and Indonesia with 2.