Food recalls inthe United Statesincreased during the second quarter of the year, while consumer-product recalls were down during the same period, according to the quarterlyExpertRECALL Indexreleased today.

Undeclared allergens were the most common cause of food recalls during the quarter, accounting for more than 45 percent of all food recalls. The number of recalls initiated because of undeclared allergens exceeded the total number of recalls for the pathogensSalmonella,BotulismandListeriacombined.Salmonellawas the second leading cause of food recalls during the quarter.

Laceration risks were the leading cause of product recalls regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Recalls of sports and recreational equipment increased for the third straight quarter, accounting for more than 20 percent of all CPSC recalls.

The ExpertRECALL Index is the only report that aggregates and tracks cumulative recall data from the CPSC and the Food and Drug Administration. Information is compiled quarterly.

“While we don’t see increased recall activity in every category, we can expect regulatory agencies to continue to beef up their oversight of both manufacturers and retailers, resulting in more recalls for the remainder of the year,” saidMike Rozembajgier, Vice President of Recalls for Stericycle ExpertRECALL. “Manufacturers and distributors need to keep a close eye on their regulatory agencies, as well as industry critics and consumer safety advocates because their persistence has often influenced government oversight, leading to more recalls.”