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ABC: Food contamination scares and cheap, unsafe imports have fuelled a jump in the number of products recalled in Australia over the past 12 months, according to figures released by the consumer watchdog.

ACCC deputy chair Delia Rickard said a range of factors were to blame for the “concerning” 14 per cent increase. There was a steep rise in the number of food and grocery recalls, up to 123 from 71 in the previous year. “Those recalls involved a range of things, things like undisclosed allergens, presence of nuts, eggs, contaminants, things like metal filings, bits of plastic, but also bacterias, listeria, e-coli, unpleasant things such as that,” Ms Rickard said.

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