Food recalls are very common. In the U.S. and Canada in the past 12 months, there have been more than 600 recalls. With disconcerting frequency, foods enter the market with problems that have the potential to cause serious adverse health effects. When this happens, food companies and U.S. federal regulatory agencies must take steps to ensure that consumers are kept safe. Food recalls are the method by which companies and government regulators try to improve food safety by removing products from distributor inventories, store shelves and consumers’ kitchens.