Recall headlines tell you a brand was recalled. They rarely tell you whether the package in your refrigerator is one of the affected lots. This tool compares the barcode, lot code and best-by date printed on your product against the recall notices published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. The database updates itself automatically several times a day.
How to check a product
- Identify it. Scan the barcode with your phone camera, type the 12- or 13-digit UPC printed under the barcode, or type the 4- or 5-digit PLU from a produce sticker. You can also search by product, brand or company name.
- Verify the package. Most recalls cover only certain lots or dates. When a recall names your product, the tool asks for the lot code, best-by or sell-by date, or USDA establishment number printed on the package. You can photograph the label and let the tool read the codes for you; the photo is analyzed and discarded.
- Read the result. “Match” means the codes you entered are inside the recall. “Possible match” means the product is recalled but a package code is still needed, or the code you typed is not among those listed. “Advisory” means a recall names the product or brand without a barcode we can compare. “No known recall” means no notice we hold names that code, which is not the same as safe.
Where the data comes from
Every record links to its official notice. FDA-regulated foods and pet foods come from the FDA recalls, market withdrawals and safety alerts listing and the FDA enforcement reports, which add the recall classification weeks later. Meat, poultry and egg products come from the USDA FSIS recalls and public health alerts. Product photos and label images are the ones the companies supplied with their notices. Recalls older than three years are kept but marked as archived. Whenever Food Poisoning Bulletin has reported on a recall, the result links to that coverage as well; browse all of it in our food recalls section.
Frequently asked questions
The tool found no recall. Is my food safe?
Not necessarily. Agencies publish notices hours to days after a company starts a recall, some notices never list a barcode, and restaurant or bulk products have none. Treat “no known recall” as “nothing on file for that code,” then check the product name and the official pages linked above.
Why does it ask for a lot number or date?
Companies usually recall specific production runs, not everything they have ever sold. The notice lists those runs by lot code, Julian date, best-by date or plant number. Comparing your package code with that list is the only way to know whether your package is included.
What should I do with a recalled product?
Follow the instructions in the official notice: most ask you to throw the product away or return it for a refund, and to clean any surfaces or containers it touched. Do not taste it to check. If you have symptoms after eating a recalled product, contact a healthcare provider and mention the product; you can also report your illness to Food Poisoning Bulletin.
I got sick from a recalled product. Do I have a case?
Illnesses tied to a pathogen recall, such as Salmonella, Listeria or E. coli, are the ones that most often lead to legal claims, especially when a stool test confirms the organism and the product is a documented part of an outbreak. The food poisoning lawyers at Pritzker Hageman review these situations at no charge.
Food Poisoning Bulletin compiles this information from public government notices and updates it automatically. It is an informational service, not a government source and not medical or legal advice. A match or a non-match is not a safety certification; always read the linked official notice.