A TikTok user went viral after posting a video informing viewers about a series of alarming food recalls.
Sean (@seansvv), an influencer who specializes in big tech, terms of service, and privacy policies, posted the video as a PSA to viewers. “I can’t be the only one recognizing that there has been a large number of food recalls this year that are very serious,” they said.
@seansvv Important FDA Food Recalls You Need to Know About #fda #foodrecall #listeria #salmonella #foodsafety #icecream #chicken #edutok #news #important ♬ original sound – SEAN
They then proceeded to name some examples. “There was a huge Hepatitis A strawberry recall, a Nestle Tollhouse cookie dough recall, frozen fruit that was contaminated with listeria that was commonly found in Walmart, H-E-B, and Costco,” they said.
Sean also noted the more recent recall of Banquet frozen chicken strips.
“I don’t feel safe eating food,” they said before asking, “Why is this happening so often?”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Sean and Banquet via email. As of Wednesday evening, their TikTok had over 85,800 views, with many viewers sharing their own concerns about food quality.
“I found glass in my fruity pebbles once,” one person said.
“Don’t forget the ice cream listeria contamination,” another replied.
“I’m… paranoid to eat anything,” a third viewer wrote.
Others noted that the rate of recalls has forced them to change their eating habits.
“I’ve pretty much resorted to buying and baking from private wholesale markets and farmers markets,” one said.
“Ive completely changed the products I eat,” another added.
There are a number of reasons behind food recalls. Meals contaminated with either bacteria, viruses, or parasites is usually what most people think when companies recall their products. But that’s not the only justification behind a recall. Conagra Brands Inc., for example, recalled those Banquets frozen chicken strips over concerns about plastic fragments.
Though recalls can be relatively benign, there has been a marked increase in their number in recent years. According to a recent study, there was a 700% increase in recalled units in 2022 versus 2021. The report does offer some good news, though—massive product recalls only rose 2.2%.
