Food Recalls 101

It seems that almost every week there is a new media report about a food recall. What exactly is a recall and what does it mean to you? To most consumers a food recall simply means-don't eat the product. While in many cases this is an accurate response, there are different reasons for recalls, some more serious than others.

A recall is an action taken by a manufacturer or distributor usually in cooperation with a regulating federal agency to remove a product that has been found to be contaminated, adulterated or misbranded. Which federal agency the recall is in cooperation with depends upon the type of food. Meat and poultry products are under the regulation of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the US Department of Agriculture. The FSIS also regulates pasteurized egg products that have been produced in federally inspected plants. Once these egg products leave the processing plants, they fall under Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority. All other food products that aren't regulated by FSIS fall under the FDA's regulatory jurisdiction.

Frequently, the media will report that a government agency has ordered a recall, but in actuality, the law does not authorize an agency to order a recall. All recalls are voluntary. The Company responsible for the manufacturing or distribution of the product will often inform the regulatory agency of the problem and the intended recall. Other times the agency finds a problem with a food product during an inspection and requests a recall. The company usually complies with the request. In the rare instance that a company doesn't respond to a government agency's request to recall a product, the agency can pursue legal action.

Food recalls are classified according to the severity of the health risk that the recalled food poses. When a food recall is reported on television or in the newspaper they will usually refer to the recall as either a Class I, Class II, or Class III recall.

-Class I recalls are assigned to food products that if eaten there is a reasonable chance that serious health problems or death could result. Examples of products that would be involved in a Class I recall are: meat that is contaminated with pathogenic bacteria and foods with undeclared Class I allergens, like peanuts or eggs.

-Class II recalls involve products that pose a less serious threat than Class I recalls but still present the remote possibility that adverse health consequences could result if the food is eaten. An example of a Class II recall would involve a food that had an undeclared Class II allergen such as dry milk.

-Class III recalls are the least ominous of the recalls. This category of recalls is assigned to products that are unlikely to cause any health problems but that violate labeling or manufacturing regulations. Examples of reasons for Class III recalls include packaging defects, off-tastes or colors, leaks in bottled drinks or a product that has added water that is not listed on the label.

When foods under FSIS regulation are recalled, the FSIS notifies the public in two ways: through a press release and a Recall Notification Report (RNR). Both the press release and the RNR are posted on the FSIS Recall Web site: www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/recalls/rec_intr.htm. The FDA seeks publicity about a recall only when there is a serious hazard that the public needs to be notified about. General information about recalls that the FDA is monitoring is available through a weekly publication called FDA Enforcement Reports. These reports are available to view at the FDA's web site: http://www.fda.gov/.

If you have a problem with a food product that you have purchased you can contact the following agencies to report the problem:

-For complaints involving meat, poultry or egg products call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1 (800) 535-4555.

-Problems with non-meat food products should be reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Call your local Health and Human Services Department (listed under the US Government pages of the phone book) to find an FDA office in your area. The number for the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition is 1 (888) 723-3366.

-Complaints about restaurant food should be directed to your local Health Department.

In order for an investigation to take place on the problem food you must have the original packaging, the foreign object (if that was the complaint) and any uneaten portion of the food (refrigerate or freeze it). When you call to report the problem you should have the following information ready:

-your name, address and phone number
-the brand name, product name and manufacturer of the product
-the size and package type
-can and package codes (not UPC bar codes) and dates
-establishment number (EST) usually found in the circle or shield near the "USDA passed and inspected" phrase
-name and location of the store and date you purchased the product

When a food recall report has been publicized by the media listen closely to the report to find out which product is being recalled and what class recall it is. If it is a Class I or Class II recall, and you have this product in your kitchen take appropriate action to make sure that no family member is at risk. When a food product is recalled, return the product to the store where you purchased it.

Debbie Wilburn is County Agent/Family and Consumer Science Agent with the Hall (770)535-8290 and the Forsyth (770)887-2418 County Extension Service.