Americans' Trust in Food Plummets Amid High Profile Recalls
Summary
A recent Gallup poll shows that American trust in the federal government's ability to keep food safe has dropped to the lowest level since 1999. Confidence varies by political party, with more Republicans trusting food safety than Democrats. This decline follows major foodborne illness outbreaks in 2026, including a large outbreak caused by contaminated lettuce.Key Facts
- Only 47% of Americans have confidence in the government's food safety efforts in 2026, down from 68% in 2019.
- Confidence among Republicans is at 70%, while only 30% of Democrats feel confident in federal food safety.
- The share of Americans with little or no confidence has risen from 18% in 2019 to 24% in 2026.
- 73% of Americans avoided certain foods due to recalls or safety warnings in the past year, up from 53% in 2024.
- 42% of Americans worried their food might have been contaminated, compared to 26% in 2024.
- The largest foodborne illness outbreak in 2026 was caused by Cyclospora in processed iceberg lettuce, sickening over 12,800 people and causing two deaths.
- Food safety in the U.S. is overseen by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
- Political views influence confidence in food safety, with attitudes shifting depending on which party holds the presidency.
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