How to think about this summer's slate of food safety recalls

NPR | By Elena Burnett,

Patrick Jarenwattananon, David Folkenflik

Published August 21, 2026 at 2:33 PM PDT

NPR's David Folkenflik talks with Don Schaffner, a food microbiology specialist and distinguished professor at Rutgers University, about this summer's foodborne illnesses and recalls.

Elena Burnett

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Patrick Jarenwattananon

Host of NPR Music's A Blog Supreme

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David Folkenflik

Folkenflik is NPR's media correspondent.

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