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Food Product Recalls, Alerts, and Warnings

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FDA's Product Recalls, Alerts, and Warnings Web page.

Other Sources

More Information - numbers to call

Federal agencies

Federal/private websites

State Alerts & Sites

Enforcement actions

Whom can I call with questions about food safety?

For general food safety questions, call the FDA Consumer Hotline at 888-INFO-FDA (888-463-6332). If you have a question about seafood, call the FDA Seafood Hotline at 800-FDA-4010. If your questions involve meat or poultry products, call the U.S. Department of Agriculture's hotline at 800-535-4555. If the situation is critical, phone the agency's emergency number, 301-443-1240, which is staffed 24 hours a day.

Does FDA control pesticides in foods?

The Environmental Protection Agency regulates the sale and use of pesticides. But FDA regularly tests foods to determine if pesticides are present in unacceptable amounts. If elevated levels are found, the agency takes corrective action.

FoodSafety

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Food Safety and Inspection Service

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Centers for Disease Control

• Foodborne Infections Questions and Answers

Recalls are actions taken by a firm to remove a product from the market. Recalls may be conducted on a firm's own initiative, by FDA request, or by FDA order under statutory authority. A Class I recall is a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death. A Class II recall is a situation in which use of or exposure to a violating product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote. A Class III recall is a situation in which use of or exposure to a violating product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences.

Actions in the Past 60 Days:

Other Sources of Information:

• Archive of Product Recalls, Alerts, and Warnings: Information older than 60 days.
• The FDA Enforcement Report: Published weekly by FDA, the Enforcement Report contains information on recalls, as well as other actions taken in connection with agency regulatory activities (such as product seizures or court actions).
• FDA's Electronic Freedom of Information Reading Room: Warning letters.
• MedWatch: Medical Product Safety Information
  Provides hotlinks to Medical Device Reporting Data Files, Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Data Files, Labeling Changes Related to Drug Safety, Annual Adverse Drug Experience Report, "Dear Health Professional Letters," and other Safety Notifications.
• Medical Device Safety Alerts, Public Health Advisories, and Notices
  Maintained by the Center for Devices and Radiological Health.
• Recalls and Market Withdrawals of Fractionated Blood and Plasma Products
  Maintained by the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
• FDA Office of Public Affairs Archives: Press releases are archived back to 1992 and talk papers to 1987. Both include notices about past recalls.
• Recalls: FDA, Industry Cooperate to Protect Consumers
  A 4-page article from the October 1995 issue of FDA Consumer magazine.
• Food Safety Alerts and News: Part of the FoodSafety.gov Website.
• USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service: This agency is responsible for all meat and poultry product regulation, including recalls.
• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: This agency has jurisdiction over about 15,000 types of consumer products.

For More Information:

Media: 301-827-6242

Consumers: 1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332)

Federal Government Agencies

• CDC: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
  (Foodborne Illness)
  Foodborne and Diarrheal Diseases News and Media Relations
• CFSAN: Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition, FDA
  (Seafood, Fruits, Vegetables, Shell Eggs, and all other Non-Meat Foods)
  What's New Product Recalls, Alerts, and Warnings
  
• EPA: Environmental Protection Agency
  (Pesticides & Water)
  EPA News and Events Office of Pesticide Programs News Office of Water News
• FSIS: Food Safety & Inspection Service, USDA
  (Meat, Poultry & Processed Egg Products)
  What's New? Product Recalls

Federal Government/Private Sector Partnership Web Sites

• Partnership for Food Safety Education
  What's New

State and Local Government Web Sites

• Critical Issues in Food Safety (compiled by Cooperative Extension Service, Florida)
• Health Warnings (Department of Health Services, California)
• Product Recalls (compiled by Cooperative Extension Service, Florida)
• Recalls and Alerts (compiled by Environmental Sanitation & Food Safety, Alaska)

FDA Enforcement Report Index

The FDA Enforcement Report is published weekly by the Food and Drug Administration. It contains information on actions taken in connection with agency regulatory activities. Inquiries about individual actions should be directed to the companies involved.



Select the index for a particular year:

• 2002 Enforcement Reports

• 2001 Enforcement Reports

• 2000 Enforcement Reports

• 1999 Enforcement Reports

• 1998 Enforcement Reports

• 1997 Enforcement Reports

• 1996 Enforcement Reports

• 1995 Enforcement Reports

• pre-1995 Enforcement Reports

More information is available on FDA'sProduct Recalls, Alerts, and Warnings Web page.

Recall and Field Correction: Action taken by a firm to either remove a product from the market or to conduct a field correction. Recalls may be conducted on a firm's own initiative, by FDA request, or by FDA order under statutory authority. A Class I recall is a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death. A Class II recall is a situation in which use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote. A Class III recall is a situation in which use of or exposure to a violative product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences.

Medical Device Notification or Safety Alert: Any communication issued by a manufacturer, distributor, or other responsible party or FDA to inform health professionals or other appropriate persons or firms of a risk of substantial harm from a medical device in commercial use. Notifications are issued at the request of FDA. Safety Alerts are voluntarily issued.

Injunction: A civil action taken against an individual or firm seeking to stop continued production or distribution of a violative product.

Seizure: An action taken to remove a product from commerce because it is in violation of the law. FDA initiates a seizure by filing a complaint with the U.S. District Court where the product is located. A U.S. marshal is then directed by the court to take possession of the goods until the matter is resolved.

Prosecution: A criminal action taken against a company or individual charging violation of the law.

Disposition: A final order entered by a court to conclude cases involving prosecutions or injunctions. Prosecutions may conclude with the entry of a plea, a verdict, and, if guilty, conviction and sentencing. Injunctions are resolved when a court imposes an order on a firm or declines to issue the order.

Indictment: A formal accusation by a grand jury that sets forth charges against a defendant and states when the alleged crime occurred. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Guilt can only be determined by a judge or jury after a trial.

Information: A formal accusation by a U.S. attorney similar to an indictment except that the charges usually are not presented to a grand jury. An information alleges a misdemeanor rather than a felony except when consented to by the proposed defendant.