What to do with recalled food

Don’t eat it, and don’t give it away. Check the recall against your package, then follow its instructions: FDA says recalled food can often be returned to the store for a full refund; otherwise seal it in a bag and throw it out. Then clean and sanitize anything it touched, and wash your hands.

Updated October 2026

Is yours the recalled product?

Recall announcements identify the affected product by details printed on the package, such as the brand, size, lot code and “use by” or “best if used by” date. Compare each one with your package. If you can’t tell whether yours is affected, treat it as recalled.

Step by step

Stop. Don’t eat, cook or serve it. Don’t give it to anyone else, including a food bank, and keep it away from pets.
Return it or throw it away, as the recall notice says. If you throw it out, seal it in a bag first. CDC also advises throwing out any other food stored with it or touching it, and washing any reusable container it was in.
Clean the fridge if it was in there. CDC’s steps: take out the other food (don’t leave it out for more than 2 hours) and remove the shelves and drawers; wash them by hand in hot, soapy water, letting cold glass reach room temperature first so it doesn’t crack; wipe the inside with hot, soapy water and then clean water, including the doors and any drawers that don’t come out; dry everything with a clean towel.
Sanitize, if you choose to. CDC’s optional step is a wipe with 1 tablespoon of liquid bleach in 1 gallon of water. FDA gives the same ratio, with hot water, for surfaces the food touched.
Finish up. Put everything back, wash your hands with soap and water, wipe the counters you used, and wash the towels before using them again.

If you already ate some

If you have symptoms, FDA advises contacting your health care provider to report them and get care; tell them which product you ate. FDA’s page also explains how to report an illness or a serious allergic reaction linked to a food. A recall for an undeclared allergen matters most if someone in your home has that allergy.

How serious is it?

FDA classifies recalls by risk:

Class I: there is a reasonable probability that using or being exposed to the product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.
Class II: it may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences, or the probability of serious ones is remote.
Class III: it is not likely to cause adverse health consequences.

USDA labels its meat and poultry recalls the same way; its list shows, for example, “High - Class I”.

Where food recalls are announced

FDA regulates all foods except meat, poultry and processed egg products, which USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service oversees. FDA posts public warnings on its recalls page, though not every recall appears there, lists recalls in its Enforcement Report, and offers a recall email subscription. USDA lists its recalls and public health alerts at fsis.usda.gov/recalls.

Where Recall Bell helps

Recall Bell lets you watch food categories such as infant formula, baby food, and pet food and treats, along with allergens you want to avoid. When a selected FDA public notice qualifies, you get a quiet alert that says how serious it is, and the notice opens with the remedy first.

Recall Bell follows selected FDA notices, which don’t include every enforcement report, and it doesn’t include USDA notices for meat, poultry and egg products. Check fsis.usda.gov/recalls for those.

Recall Bell is coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Sources

FDA: Food Recalls: What You Need to Know
CDC: How to Clean Your Refrigerator Because of a Food Recall
FDA: Recalls Background and Definitions
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service: Recalls & Public Health Alerts

This guide is general food-safety information, not medical advice. If you feel unwell, contact a health care provider. Recall Bell is an independent app from intellidip; it is not a government service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by FDA or USDA.