What a product recall means, and how to check one in the aisle
Recalls are public, but they live in four different federal databases and almost never appear on the product itself. Here is how to read one.
Who issues recalls
- FDA covers food (other than meat, poultry and eggs), drugs, cosmetics and medical devices.
- USDA FSIS covers meat, poultry and egg products.
- CPSC covers consumer products: toys, appliances, furniture, tools.
- NHTSA covers vehicles, tires and car seats.
What the classes mean
FDA and USDA grade recalls. Class I means a reasonable probability of serious harm or death, such as undeclared allergens or listeria. Class II means the problem could cause temporary or treatable harm. Class III means the product breaks a rule but is unlikely to hurt anyone, such as a labelling error. Most recalls are Class II.
Why a recall rarely reaches you
A recall notice names lot numbers and dates, and the store is supposed to pull affected stock. In practice, notices are posted on agency websites and the product keeps selling until someone acts. Unless you follow the agency feeds, you only hear about the big ones.
Checking a product in the aisle
Scan the barcode in ChooseWell. The Safety card shows open recalls from all four agencies for that product or product line, and for foods that get recalled by kind, such as lettuce or ground beef, it checks the kind as well as the brand. It also flags ingredients that are banned or restricted elsewhere, with the reason and where. If the card says "No recalls in the last 24 months", that is exactly what it means: none on file, not a guarantee.
Cars too
Type a vehicle identification number and the same card shows that model year's open safety recalls from NHTSA, along with the maker's political spending.