Food Recalls: How to Check, Get Alerts and Keep Your Family and Pets Safe

You hear "recall" on the news, then wonder if the chicken in your freezer or the bag of dog food in the pantry is the one. New food recalls are posted most weeks in the US, for people food and pet food alike. Many are small, but some involve germs like Salmonella or Listeria monocytogenes that can make a young child, a pregnant parent or a pet seriously ill.

A list of recent recalls goes out of date in days, so this guide does not give you one. It shows you where to check, how to get alerts sent to your inbox, what to do if something at home is on the list, and which symptoms mean calling a doctor or a vet. Everything here comes from FDA, USDA and CDC guidance.

Workers in hairnets and work coats sorting apples on conveyor lines in a fruit packing plant

Who issues food recalls

Two federal agencies handle most food recalls, and they split the food supply between them.

USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) covers meat, poultry and egg products.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) covers most other food products. FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine also covers pet food, dog food, cat food and treats.

Most recalls are a voluntary recall by the company, often after testing finds contamination or an undeclared allergen. FDA ranks recalls by risk. A Class I recall means a reasonable chance the product could cause serious illness or death. Class II means the harm would likely be temporary or medically reversible. Class III means the product is unlikely to make anyone sick but breaks a rule, like a labeling error. A market withdrawal is different. It is when a company pulls a product for a minor problem that FDA would not take legal action on.

Where to check for food recalls

FDA Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts (fda.gov): a running list of FDA recall notices with the brand, product, reason and date. FDA notes that not every recall gets a press release or appears on this page.
FDA Animal and Veterinary Recalls and Withdrawals (fda.gov): the list for pet food recalls and animal products, with the same details.
FSIS Recalls and Public Health Alerts (fsis.usda.gov): recalls for meat, poultry and egg products.
FoodSafety.gov and Recalls.gov: government sites that pull food recall news together in one place.

How to get recall alerts

The easiest step is to let the alerts come to you.

On the FDA recalls page, use the link "Sign up to receive Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts" to get email alerts. Pet food recalls are included.
FSIS offers an email subscription for its recall and public health alert notices. Look for the subscribe option on the FSIS recalls page.
Check the FDA Animal and Veterinary recalls page whenever you open a new bag of pet food or treats, since that list covers pet products in one place.

An empty pink ceramic cat bowl decorated with a kitten drawing, surrounded by scattered dry kibble

What to do with a recalled item

Match the details. Check the brand, product name, size, UPC code, lot number and best-by date against the notice. Often only certain lots are recalled.
Do not eat it, serve it or feed it to pets. Do not donate it either, even if the recall says it is precautionary.
Return it or throw it away as the notice says. For pet food, FDA-posted notices ask owners to destroy it in a way that children, pets and wildlife cannot get to it.
Clean up. Wash and sanitize the shelf or drawer it sat in, storage containers, pet bowls and scoops. Throw out leftovers made with the product.
Wash your hands with soap and water after touching it.
Report a problem. If you think a pet food made your pet sick, FDA asks you to report it through its Safety Reporting Portal (safetyreporting.fda.gov) and to save the original package, since the lot number tells FDA which plant made it and when.

Symptoms that need a doctor

Food poisoning from contaminated food often causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps and fever. The CDC says to see a doctor for:

Bloody diarrhea
Diarrhea that lasts more than 3 days
A fever over 102 degrees Fahrenheit
Vomiting so often that you cannot keep liquids down
Signs of dehydration, such as peeing very little, a dry mouth and throat, or feeling dizzy when standing

If you are pregnant and have a fever with flu-like symptoms, call your doctor. The CDC warns that Listeria during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth or premature delivery. Young children under 5 are also at higher risk, so call your pediatrician sooner rather than later.

Symptoms that need a vet

FDA pet food recall notices describe Salmonella in pets this way: a pet may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting, and some pets show only a lower appetite, fever and belly pain. If your pet ate a recalled product and shows any of these signs, call your veterinarian and bring the package or a photo of the lot number. People in the home can get sick from handling contaminated pet food too, which is why the CDC recommends washing hands before and after handling pet food or treats and supervising young children when they wash their hands. For everyday choices, our guide to choosing a dog food with your vet explains what to look for on the bag.

Make it part of your routine

Sign up for the FDA email alerts today, add the FSIS recall page to your bookmarks, and keep pet food in its original bag (or tape the lot number to the bin you pour it into). If you keep an emergency kit, add a note on where to check recalls. Our family and pet emergency plan has a checklist you can print.

Sources: US Food and Drug Administration (Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts; Animal and Veterinary Recalls and Withdrawals; How to Report a Pet Food Complaint; Recalls Background and Definitions; FDA-posted pet food recall notices); USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service; FoodSafety.gov; CDC Food Poisoning Symptoms and CDC Healthy Pets pet food safety guidance. Recall lists change daily; always check the agency site for the current notice.