FSIS Food Recalls

What is a food recall?

A food recall is a voluntary action by a manufacturer

or distributor to protect the public from products that

may cause health problems or possible death. A

recall is intended to remove food products from

commerce when there is reason to believe the

products may be adulterated or misbranded.

Who decides when a recall is necessary?

Recalls are initiated by the manufacturer or

distributor of the meat or poultry, sometimes at the

request of FSIS. All recalls are voluntary. However, if

a company refuses to recall its products, then FSIS

has the legal authority to detain and seize those

products in commerce.

How are unsafe products discovered?

There are four, primary means by which unsafe or

improperly labeled meat and poultry products come

to the attention of FSIS:

· The company that manufactured or

distributed the food informs FSIS of the

potential hazard;

· Test results received by FSIS as part of its

sampling program indicate that the products

are adulterated, or, in some situations,

misbranded;

Who regulates food products? The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) within the U.S. Departmentof Agriculture inspects and regulates meat, poultry and processed egg products produced in federally

inspected plants. FSIS is responsible for ensuring that these products are safe, wholesome, and accurately

labeled. All other food products are regulated by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Food and Drug

Administration (FDA).

· FSIS field inspectors and program

investigators, in the course of their routine

duties, discover unsafe or improperly labeled

foods; and

· Epidemiological data submitted by State or

local public health departments, or other

Federal agencies, such as the Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) or the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveal

unsafe, unwholesome or inaccurately labeled

food.

As soon as FSIS learns that a potentially unsafe or

mislabeled meat or poultry product is in commerce,

the Agency conducts a preliminary investigation to

determine whether there is a need for a recall.

What occurs during a preliminary

 investigation?

The preliminary investigation may include some or all

of the following steps:

· Contacting the manufacturer of the food for

more information;

· Interviewing any consumers who allegedly

became ill or injured from eating the suspect

food;

· Collecting and analyzing food samples;

· Collecting and verifying information about the

suspected food;

· Discussions with FSIS field inspection and

compliance personnel;

· Contacting State and local health

departments; and

· Documenting a chronology of events.

USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854)

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health

agency in the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for ensuring

that the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products

is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged.

USDA Photo

Food Safety Information

United States Department of Agriculture

Food Safety and Inspection Service

USDA Photo
How does FSIS notify the public when a

product is recalled?

FSIS notifies the public through a press release for

Class I and Class II recalls, and a Recall Notification

Report (RNR) for Class III recalls. (The RNR provides

substantially the same information as the press

release; however, the format is different.) The press

release is issued to media outlets in the areas where

the product was distributed and is also distributed

through an email listserv.

The press release or RNR is posted on the FSIS Web

site. When possible, FSIS also includes pictures of

the recalled product as part of the FSIS online recall

press release. Recall press releases and RNRs are

posted on the FSIS Recall area of the Web site, at

www.fsis.usda.gov/Fsis_Recalls/

Open_Federal_Cases/index.asp.

The public can request to receive FSIS press releases

and recall announcements by subscribing to the

Agency’s email subscription service. For more

information or to subscribe, go to

www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/

Email_Subscription/index.asp. FSIS’ newsletters,

including the Constituent Update, are also available

via email subscription at www.fsis.usda.gov/

News_&_Events/Newsletters/index.asp.

If the recalled product was purchased by USDA and

distributed through a food distribution program, such

as the National School Lunch Program, FSIS notifies

the Federal agency responsible for the food program,

and that agency will hold the product.

What is FSIS’ role during a recall?

When there is reason to believe that adulterated or

misbranded product has entered commerce, the FSIS

Recall Management Division convenes the Recall

Committee, a standing committee within FSIS. The

Committee, consisting of FSIS scientists, technical

experts, field inspection managers, enforcement

personnel and communications specialists, evaluates

all available information and then makes

recommendations to the company about the need

for a recall.

If the Recall Committee recommends a recall, the

Committee classifies the recall based on the relative

health risk, as follows:

· Class I - A Class I recall involves a health

hazard situation in which there is a

reasonable probability that eating the food

will cause health problems or death.

· Class II - A Class II recall involves a potential

health hazard situation in which there is a

remote probability of adverse health

consequences from eating the food.

· Class III - A Class III recall involves a

situation in which eating the food will not

cause adverse health consequences.

In addition to determining the class of the recall, the

Recall Committee verifies that the company has

identified production and distribution information to

facilitate the recall.

The Recall Committee advises the company of its

recommendation and also provides an opportunity

for the firm to offer any information it wishes FSIS to

consider regarding the recall after completing its

investigation.

How does FSIS ensure that a recall is

effective?

FSIS field enforcement personnel conduct

“effectiveness checks” to ensure that the recalling

firm makes all reasonable efforts to notify the

consignees of the recalled product that there is a

need to remove the product from commerce. FSIS

conducts a sufficient number of effectiveness checks

to verify that the recalling firm is contacting its

consignees.

If FSIS determines that the recalling firm has

contacted its consignees, or has made all reasonable

efforts to do so, the Agency notifies the firm that the

recall is complete and no further action is expected.

Does FSIS keep documentation on

recalls?

The Recall Management Division maintains

comprehensive case files for all recalls coordinated

by FSIS. Information on open and closed Federal

cases can be found on the FSIS Web site at

www.fsis.usda.gov/Fsis_Recalls/index.asp.

FSIS Food Recalls

Food Safety Information 2
Food Safety Questions?

Ask Karen!

FSIS’ automated response

system can provide food safety

information 24/7.

www.fsis.usda.gov

FSIS Food Recalls

The USDA is an equal opportunity

 provider and employer.

Revised March 2006

Related Item

FSIS Directive 8080.1, “Recall of Meat

and Poultry Products” (PDF Only)

Call the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline

If you have a question

about meat, poultry, or

egg products, call the

USDA Meat and

Poultry Hotline

toll free at

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854);

TTY: 1-800-256-7072.

 The hotline is open year-round

Monday through Friday

from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ET (English or

Spanish). Recorded

food safety messages

are available 24 hours

a day. Check out the

FSIS Web site at

www.fsis.usda.gov.

FSIS encourages the reprint and distribution of this publication for food safety

education purposes. However, USDA symbols or logos may not be used

separately to imply endorsement of a commercial product or service.

E-mail Subscription Service

This e-mail alert

service allows FSIS

customers to sign up

for notification about

food recalls and

other categories of

information.

Keep Informed - Be the First to Know

Sign Up and Subscribe to E-mail Updates Today!!!

Go to www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/

Email_Subscription/index.asp

and follow the directions to sign up.

Where else can consumers find

information on recalls?

For additional information on recalls of food and

other products, consumers may receive information

from the following:

· The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at: 1-888-

MPHotline (1-888-674-6854); or via email at:

mphotline.fsis@usda.gov;

· Via email subscription on the FSIS homepage,

or from www.govdocs.com/service/

multi_subscribe.html?code=USFSIS; and

· For information on all government recalls, go

to www.recalls.gov.

Send E-mail questions to MPHotline.fsis@usda.gov.