Glossary

The most serious FDA recall class, used when a product has a reasonable chance of causing serious health harm or death.

The FDA's three-level system that ranks how dangerous a recalled product is, from life-threatening (I) to a labeling-only issue (III).

When a food contains a major allergen, such as milk or peanut, that the label fails to list. It is the single most common reason for US food recalls.

A bacterium that survives refrigeration and is a frequent cause of Class I recalls in deli meats, soft cheese, and ready-to-eat foods.

A bacterium behind many food recalls and outbreaks, found in poultry, eggs, produce, and increasingly in dry foods like powdered milk and flour.

A company removing a product for a minor issue that does not break FDA law, so it is not a formal recall.

Three different FDA actions with different meanings: a recall fixes a legal violation, a withdrawal fixes a minor issue, an alert warns about a product the FDA cannot recall.

The FDA's free public data API that publishes recalls, enforcement reports, and adverse events in a structured, searchable format.

Two agencies split US food recalls: the FDA covers most packaged foods and produce, while the USDA covers meat, poultry, and egg products.