Two-hundred and seven million eggs were recalled on April 13th of this year—the largest such recall in the U.S. in nearly 10 years. By May, another 12 people from 9 states had fallen ill from the tainted eggs, bringing the total to 35 with 11 individuals requiring hospitalization. Major supermarket chains, big-box retailers and restaurants were affected by the recall. The supplier of the tainted eggs now faces U.S. Food and Drug Administration scrutiny and a loss of trust with their corporate customers and consumers.

Just last Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that another national food poisoning outbreak—this time associated with romaine lettuce—had led to five deaths and 89 hospitalizations among the 197 people who fell ill. And this year, for the first time, the FDA used its mandatory recall authority for a contaminated herbal supplement. In a statement regarding this unprecedented recall, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb noted, “This action is based on the imminent health risk posed by the contamination of this product with salmonella, and the refusal of this company to voluntarily act to protect its customers and issue a recall, despite our repeated requests and actions.”

Mitigating Risk from Farm to Fork

Such outbreaks make headlines every year. Use of forced labor in the food and Beverage Supply Chain also hits the newsstands more often than is acceptable. As a result, organizations face a growing array of standards and regulations—from the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act’s Rules on Sanitary Transportation and Foreign Supplier Verification Programs to the California Transparency in Supply Chains and the UK Modern Slavery Acts.

It’s not just regulators that are taking a hard look at the extensive food and beverage supply chain. A growing number of consumers expect greater transparency when it comes to the food they eat—whether it’s choosing restaurants known for using seasonal, locally-grown produce or demanding that foods are sustainably and ethically harvested.

Our infographic shows just how complex the journey from farm to fork is—and the various types of organizations along that path that must consider both the regulatory and reputational risks they face.

Do you need to update your risk mitigation process to address regulatory requirements and consumer expectations? Find out what it takes in our eBook on the FDA FSMA Rules.

Actions You Can Take Now

1. Download our eBook on the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act rules and compliance tips.

2. See how tools like Lexis Diligence® and LexisNexis® Entity Insight can help you mitigate risk more effectively.

3. Share this post on LinkedIn to keep the conversation going.