All About …
Food Recalls
Consumer Responses to
Food Recalls
84% of Americans say they pay close attention to
news reports about food recalls
81% say that when they hear about a food recall
they tell others
Fewer than 60% of Americans have ever
checked their homes for a recalled food item
Suggests that Americans see food recalls as important, but not
particularly relevant to themselves
Hallman, et al. 2009. Rutgers University
Food Policy Institute.
Food Recalls
Occur when there is reason to believe that a
food may cause consumers to become ill
Initiated by a food manufacturer or distributor
to take foods off the market (“Voluntary”)
In some cases, food recalls are requested by
government agencies (USDA or FDA)
Regulatory Authority
USDA
 Meat
 Poultry
 Frozen, dried and liquid egg
• Voluntary recalls
• Recalls of these products are overseen by USDA
• Traditionally has had easier leverage due to inspection stamp
Regulatory Authority
FDA is responsible for the safety of 80% of all
food consumed in the United States
 Entire domestic and imported food supply
o Except Meat, Poultry & Frozen, dried and liquid egg (USDA)
Foods Under FDA Authority
Dairy Products – Milk, Cheese, Butter
Plant Products – Vegetables, Fruits, Nuts
Juices
Spices
Seafood – Finfish, Shellfish, Crustaceans,
Surimi based
Grain-based – Bread, Cereals, Flour
Bottled Water
• Dietary supplements
Infant Formula
• Cosmetics
• Drugs
FDA
Traditionally
 Recalls voluntary
 If company refused, FDA had to go to federal court
to get a court order to seize product
 FDA’s mandatory recall authority became effective
when President Obama signed the FSMA into law
on January 4, 2011
 If company refuses, FDA can seize the product
Food Safety Modernization Act
Gives FDA a new system of import controls
(foreign supplier verification program, third
party certification for imported foods)
Gives FDA mandatory recall power if companies
fail to voluntarily recall
Expands administrative detention (FDA can keep
suspect food from being moved)
FDA can suspend registration of facility (cannot
import or ship food until satisfactory corrective
action taken)
 Can suspend registration of a food facility if food has a
reasonable probability of causing illness or death if eaten
Some reasons for recalling food
include:
Discovery of an organism in a product which
may make consumers sick
Discovery of a potential allergen in a product
Mislabeling or misbranding of food
 Example: a food may contain an allergen, such as
nuts or eggs, but those ingredients do not appear on
the label
2009
Reportable Food Registry (RFR) implemented
Requires any food facility that manufactures,
processes, packs or holds food for human or
animal consumption to file a report through the
RFR electronic portal when there is reason to
believe that a food will cause adverse health
consequences or death to humans or animals.
Mandatory Reports must be submitted within 24
hours of a reportable situation
Recalls are divided into 3
classifications based on health hazard
Class I: Dangerous or defective products that
could cause serious health problems or death
Class II: Products that might cause a temporary
health problem, or pose only a slight threat
Class III: Products that are unlikely to cause any
adverse health reaction, but that violate FDA
labeling or manufacturing laws.
Health Hazard Evaluation
Diseases or injuries which have already
occurred
Existing conditions that can contribute to a
clinical condition
Population
Seriousness of hazard
Likelihood of occurrence of hazard
Immediate and long term consequences
Examples of Class I Recalls
Pathogens in ready-to-eat food
 Salmonella
 Listeria monocytogenes
 E. coli O157:H7
 Clostridium botulinum
Allergens: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts,
crustaceans, fish, soybeans
High levels of sulfites
High levels of heavy metals
Choking hazards for susceptible populations
Examples of Class II Recalls
Foreign objects that pose a physical hazard
Pathogens: Shigella, hepatitis A, Cyclospora,
Cryptosporidium
Allergen: wheat
Examples of Class III Recalls
“Unfit for food” where hazard is not likely
Low levels of pesticide residue
Determining the scope of a recall
When did the problem start/end
Can additional lots/products be affected other
than the lot/product analyzed and found
adulterated
How many sizes/labels for the product
Is the product coded with a lot number
Shelf life of product
How do consumers find out about
food recalls
Recall notices can be found:
• In the news
• At the grocery store
• Online at www.agr.georgia.gov/recalls.aspx
• Online at www.recalls.gov
How to identify recalled products
• Match identifying marks on the product you
have with the recall notices
• Product name
• Brand
• Container codes
• Container size
How to identify recalled products
Example notice:
Schwartz Brothers Bakery Issues Allergy Alert on
Undeclared Milk in “Everything Bagels”
The product was packed in clear 4-pack plastic bag,
with visible image of cheese melted on top of the
bagels. “Everything Bagels” has the UPC number 7
17887 23121 1 and the “best by” dates of 10/14/14
to 11/10/14.
What is the potential problem with
this product?
Schwartz Brothers Bakery Issues Allergy Alert on
Undeclared Milk in “Everything Bagels”
The product was packed in clear 4-pack plastic
bag, with visible image of cheese melted on top of
the bagels. “Everything Bagels” has the UPC
number 7 17887 23121 1 and the “best by” dates
of 10/14/14 to 11/10/14.
The Potential Problem…
Schwartz Brothers Bakery Issues
Allergy
Alert on Undeclared Milk
in “Everything
Bagels”
What Type of products do you need
to be concerned about in this recall?
Schwartz Brothers Bakery Issues Allergy Alert on
Undeclared Milk in “Everything Bagels”
The product was packed in clear 4-pack plastic
bag, with visible image of cheese melted on top of
the bagels. “Everything Bagels” has the UPC
number 7 17887 23121 1 and the “best by” dates
of 10/14/14 to 11/10/14.
What Type of products do you need
to be concerned about in this recall?
Schwartz Brothers Bakery Issues Allergy Alert on
Undeclared Milk in “Everything Bagels”
Do you need to be concerned about
all their “Everything Bagels”?
Schwartz Brothers Bakery Issues Allergy Alert on
Undeclared Milk in “Everything Bagels”
The product was packed in clear 4-pack plastic
bag, with visible image of cheese melted on top of
the bagels. “Everything Bagels” has the UPC
number 7 17887 23121 1 and the “best by” dates
of 10/14/14 to 11/10/14.
Products to be concerned about…
“Everything Bagels”
• packed in clear 4-pack plastic bag, with visible
image of cheese melted on top of the bagels
• with the UPC number 7 17887 23121 1 and the
“best by” dates of 10/14/14 to 11/10/14
How to identify recalled products
• Examine the label
• Match identifying marks on the product you have
with the recall notices
• Product name
• Brand
• Container codes and dates
• Container size or specific packaging in the recall
notice
What to do if you have a recalled
food
• Do not serve or eat the food!
• Discard the food or return it to store where
purchased
• Contact the company that manufactured the food
if you want more information about the food.
do not eat or serve the food!
Resources
www.recalls.gov
& choose the FOOD
tab to see this page
Partnership for Food Safety
Education Recall Basics
Campaign:
www.fightbac.org
Under “Campaigns”, click
on “Recall Basics” for
several resources, including
this flyer.
Partnership for Food Safety
Education Recall Basics
Campaign:
www.fightbac.org
Under “Campaigns”, click
on “Recall Basics” for
several resources, including
this flyer.
Georgia Dept. of Agriculture:
www.agr.georgia.gov/recalls.aspx
Remember…
It is the responsibility of food companies to
produce high quality, safe products.
When they tell us they have had a problem with a
particular food, and they want to make sure we
don’t consume it, it is OUR responsibility to check
to see if we have it and to follow directions.
All About Food Recalls
Judy A. Harrison, Ph. D., Professor and Extension Foods Specialist
Dept. of Foods and Nutrition
College of Family and Consumer Sciences
University of Georgia.
2015
The University of Georgia and Ft. Valley State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and counties of
the state cooperating. Cooperative Extension, the University of Georgia Colleges of Agricultural and
Environmental Sciences and Family and Consumer Sciences, offers educational programs, assistance and
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