openFDA
The FDA's free public data API that publishes recalls, enforcement reports, and adverse events in a structured, searchable format.
openFDA is the FDA's open data initiative. It takes the agency's public datasets, including drug, device, and food enforcement reports, and serves them through a free API that anyone can query. This recall tracker reads directly from that API.
Each enforcement record contains structured fields: the recalling firm, the product description, the reason for the recall, the hazard classification, the status, the distribution pattern, and key dates. Because the data is structured, a tool can let you search and filter it in ways the FDA's own website does not always make easy.
The tradeoff is a reporting lag. A recall has to be processed into a formal enforcement report before it appears in openFDA, so the most recent breaking recalls sometimes show on the FDA news page before they appear in the structured data. The recall initiation date in a record is often days or weeks before the report date you see.
openFDA is the authoritative public source for structured recall data, but it is not a substitute for the official recall notice. For any recall that affects you, follow the link to FDA.gov and confirm the lot numbers and instructions there before acting.
Related terms
Recall Classification (I, II, III)
The FDA's three-level system that ranks how dangerous a recalled product is, from life-threatening (I) to a labeling-only issue (III).
Market Withdrawal
A company removing a product for a minor issue that does not break FDA law, so it is not a formal recall.
FDA vs USDA Jurisdiction
Two agencies split US food recalls: the FDA covers most packaged foods and produce, while the USDA covers meat, poultry, and egg products.