Food Recalls: What You Need to Know Before You Panic
Food Recalls: What You Need to Know Before You Panic
Food recalls seem to be everywhere.
You see a headline about a recalled product, someone shares a screenshot on social media, and suddenly you're wondering whether you need to clean out your entire refrigerator.
Before you panic, take a breath.
FAQs About Food Recalls
What does a food recall mean?
A food recall means a product is being removed from the marketplace because it may violate food safety or labeling requirements or could pose a risk to consumers. Not every recall means the food is contaminated or will cause illness.
How do I know if my food has been recalled?
Check an official recall notice and compare the brand, product name, package size, lot number, product code, and dates with the information on your package. A recall may apply only to specific products or lots.
What is a lot number on food?
A lot number is a code used by a manufacturer to identify a particular batch of a product. It helps determine which specific products are affected by a recall.
Should I throw away recalled food?
If your product matches the recall, don't eat or use it. Follow the recall notice for instructions about returning or disposing of the product.
What happens if I ate recalled food?
Don't panic. What you should do depends on the reason for the recall. Check the recall notice for specific instructions, and monitor yourself for symptoms if the recall involves a potential health risk.
How long after eating recalled food can you get sick?
It depends on the cause of the recall. Symptoms from foodborne illness can begin within hours or may take several days or longer, depending on the specific pathogen or toxin involved.
When should I call a doctor after eating recalled food?
Contact your healthcare provider if you become sick or have concerns about your individual risk. Seek medical attention for serious symptoms such as bloody diarrhea, prolonged diarrhea, a high fever, frequent vomiting, or signs of dehydration.
Where can I check current food recalls?
For the most reliable information, check the FDA's Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts page, USDA FSIS Recalls & Public Health Alerts page, or FDA Recalls and Outbreaks
A food recall is serious, but not every recall means everyone who ate the food will get sick. Recalls can happen for many reasons, and you should take that into account. What is the reason for the recall?
The most important thing is knowing how to check whether your product is affected and what to do if it is.
What exactly is a food recall?
A food recall is the removal of a food from the marketplace because it violates food safety or regulatory requirements or may pose a risk to consumers.
The FDA regulates most foods in the United States, while the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service regulates meat, poultry, and processed egg products. Recalls can involve contamination with bacteria, viruses, parasites, or foreign materials, but they can also involve labeling problems, including undeclared allergens.
And this is important:
A recall does not automatically mean the food is contaminated or that someone will be harmed by eating it.
Sometimes a recall is precautionary. Sometimes the issue is a labeling violation. Sometimes there is a potential risk that has not resulted in any known illnesses.
For example, in 2024, Costco recalled certain Kirkland Signature butter products because the packaging was missing the required "Contains Milk" allergen statement. The ingredient list did identify cream, but the required allergen declaration was missing. The FDA classified it as a Class II recall, meaning the risk of serious health consequences was considered remote, although people with milk allergies could potentially be harmed.
That may seem like an odd reason to recall butter. And I don’t know how many people returned their butter.
But food labeling laws exist for a reason. Someone with a serious milk allergy may need to identify allergens from the label without having to figure out that "cream" means milk.
Why do food recalls happen?
There are quite a few reasons.
A product may be recalled because it has been contaminated with a pathogen such as Salmonella, Listeria, or E. coli. It may contain a foreign object, such as pieces of metal, glass, or plastic.
A product may also be recalled because of an undeclared allergen, incorrect labeling, a manufacturing problem, or another regulatory issue.
Some recalls are initiated voluntarily by the manufacturer or distributor. In some situations, the FDA or USDA can request or require action.
So when you see the word "recall," don't assume you already know what happened.
Read the actual recall notice.
What should you do if you have a recalled food?
First, don't eat it.
This sounds obvious, but it's easy to think, "Well, I already ate some, and I feel fine," or "It's probably one of those recalls that isn't a big deal."
Don't take chances with a product identified as part of a recall.
Check the recall notice carefully. Look at the:
Brand
Product name
Package size
UPC
Lot number or product code
Best-by, sell-by, or use-by date
Other identifying information
A recall may apply to only certain lots, dates, sizes, or geographic areas. The same brand name does not necessarily mean every package of that product has been recalled.
That's why you need to compare that tiny string of numbers and letters on the package.
If your product matches the recall, follow the instructions in the recall notice. You may be told to return it to the store for a refund or dispose of it.
Do not give recalled food to someone else, donate it to a food bank, or feed it to your pets.
If the food may have contaminated your refrigerator, countertops, cutting boards, utensils, or other surfaces, follow the recall instructions for cleaning and sanitizing those areas.
What if you already ate the recalled food?
This is where people can understandably start to panic.
But eating a recalled food does not automatically mean you will become sick.
What you should do depends on the reason for the recall, how much you consumed, your individual risk factors, and whether you develop symptoms.
Start by reading the recall notice. It may provide specific instructions for consumers who have already eaten the product.
If you develop symptoms, pay attention to how you feel and contact your healthcare provider if appropriate.
Common symptoms of foodborne illness include diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, and fever.
Some symptoms warrant medical attention, including bloody diarrhea, diarrhea lasting more than three days, a fever above 102°F, frequent vomiting that prevents you from keeping liquids down, or signs of dehydration.
Pregnant people, young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems can be at higher risk for serious complications from some foodborne illnesses and may need to contact a healthcare provider sooner.
And if a recalled product involved an undeclared allergen and you experience symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, seek appropriate medical care immediately.
Don't rely on social media alone
This may be one of the most important things to remember.
Social media can be how you hear about a recall, but it shouldn't necessarily be where you verify one.
A post may leave out important details. It may show an old recall. It may make it sound like an entire brand is affected when only certain products or lot numbers are involved.
Or it may circulate a legitimate recall without the information you need to determine whether your specific product is included.
Instead, go to the source.
The FDA maintains a database of food recalls and safety alerts. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service maintains recall information for meat, poultry, and processed egg products. FoodSafety.gov also provides a centralized place to find federal food safety information.
You can also check the manufacturer's recall notice or contact the company directly.
A simple way to handle a recall
When you see a recall announcement, you don't need to clean out your kitchen right away.
Instead:
Stop and read the actual recall notice.
Find the product information on your package.
Compare the brand, product, size, lot number, dates, and other identifying information.
If your product matches, don't eat or use it.
Follow the instructions for returning or disposing of it.
Clean any surfaces that may have been contaminated, if the recall instructions call for it.
If you already consumed the product, follow the recall guidance and monitor for symptoms.
Contact your healthcare provider if you become ill or have concerns about your individual risk.
That's it.
You don't need to panic, but you also don't want to ignore a legitimate recall.
Food recalls are one way the food safety system identifies problems and removes potentially affected products from consumers' hands. Sometimes the issue is serious. Sometimes the risk is limited. Sometimes the recall is precautionary or involves a labeling problem rather than contamination.
The important thing is to look at the details instead of the headline.
Keep these resources handy
Because recalls change, these are better bookmarks than a static list of current recalls:
You can also sign up for FDA recall notifications, so you don't have to depend on seeing a recall shared in your social media feed. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
The next time you see a scary food recall headline, don't panic. Check.
Find the actual notice, compare the product information, and follow the instructions.
That's a much better approach than ignoring the recall or assuming that every package of the product is dangerous.
Sources and further reading:
Here is why Costco recalled almost 80,000 pounds of butter. November 12, 2024, CBSNews.com
CDC – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Food Poisoning Symptoms
