Check If a Product in Your Kitchen Is Recalled
You saw a recall in the news or got a vague alert. Here is how to find out in two minutes whether the exact item in your pantry is affected.
- 1
Search the brand or product name
Type the brand into the search tool and switch to the Food tab. Use the name on the package, not how you remember it. If nothing shows, try the ingredient or a shorter keyword, since product descriptions in the FDA data are sometimes worded oddly.
- 2
Match the lot number, UPC, and best-by date
A recall almost never covers every unit of a product. Open the matching record and the FDA notice, then compare the lot number, UPC, and best-by date printed on your package. If your codes are outside the recalled range, your item is not part of the recall.
- 3
Read the severity class and act
Check whether it is Class I, II, or III. For Class I, do not open or taste it; throw it out or return it. For lower classes, follow the notice but the urgency is lower. When in doubt, treat it as the more serious option.