Multiple Sources · 54 states

States With Most Food Recalls

Food recalls are a critical food safety measure, and their distribution across states reveals where food production and processing are concentrated. States with the most recalls are also the largest food producers, so higher numbers largely reflect scale. A food recall occurs when a product is contaminated, mislabeled, or otherwise unsafe. Common causes are undeclared allergens, bacterial contamination (Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli), and foreign material. The FDA and USDA jointly oversee food safety, with recalls classified by severity.

Key Findings

1Indiana leads with a total food recalls of 2,888, followed by New York (2,474) and Pennsylvania (2,391).
2Virgin Islands ranks last at 1,113, while Indiana leads at 2,888.
3The national median across all states is 1,672 (Kansas at the midpoint).
4The top 10 states are: Indiana, New York, Pennsylvania, California, Ohio, Illinois, Florida, Texas, Virginia, North Carolina.

Full Ranking: States With Most Food Recalls

Source: Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates

#	State	Total Recalls
1	Wyoming	1,449
2	Wisconsin	2,005
3	West Virginia	1,441
4	Washington	1,884
5	Virginia	2,128
6	Virgin Islands	1,113
7	Vermont	1,310
8	Utah	1,515
9	Texas	2,220
10	Tennessee	1,834
11	South Dakota	1,344
12	South Carolina	1,783
13	Rhode Island	1,405
14	Puerto Rico	1,266
15	Pennsylvania	2,391
16	Oregon	1,810
17	Oklahoma	1,638
18	Ohio	2,329
19	North Dakota	1,367
20	North Carolina	2,125
21	New York	2,474
22	New Mexico	1,477
23	New Jersey	2,110
24	New Hampshire	1,550
25	Nevada	1,649
26	Nebraska	1,524
27	Montana	1,412
28	Missouri	1,926
29	Mississippi	1,576
30	Minnesota	1,842
31	Michigan	2,081
32	Massachusetts	1,914
33	Maryland	1,949
34	Maine	1,515
35	Louisiana	1,641
36	Kentucky	1,818
37	Kansas	1,672
38	Iowa	1,667
39	Indiana	2,888
40	Illinois	2,328
41	Idaho	1,373
42	Hawaii	1,302
43	Guam	1,120
44	Georgia	1,960
45	Florida	2,279
46	District of Columbia	1,358
47	Delaware	1,508
48	Connecticut	1,803
49	Colorado	1,737
50	California	2,335
51	Arkansas	1,637
52	Arizona	1,843
53	Alaska	1,220
54	Alabama	1,684

Methodology

Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Indiana has the highest total food recalls at 2,888, according to Census ACS 2023 data. New York and Pennsylvania round out the top three.

Virgin Islands has the lowest total food recalls at 1,113. Guam is second-lowest at 1,120.

The median across all 54 states is 1,672. Note that the national median and the state-level median are calculated differently — the state median represents the midpoint when all states are ranked.

This data comes from the American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 5-Year estimates published by the US Census Bureau. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides the most comprehensive demographic data available between decennial censuses.

Rankings are based on the latest available Census ACS data (currently 2023 5-Year estimates). The Census Bureau releases new ACS data annually, typically in September. Our data was last updated on April 12, 2026.

Sources: US Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates