How to check whether your food was recalled

Where to look

Four sources, all free and public. Jurisdiction is split: the USDA handles meat, poultry, and egg products; the FDA handles essentially everything else.

• FDA recalls and safety alerts — packaged foods, produce, seafood, dietary supplements
• USDA FSIS recalls — meat, poultry, and processed egg products
• CDC outbreak listings — active multistate investigations, including ones where no recall has issued yet
• Your state or county health department — local investigations and restaurant inspection results, which never appear in federal listings

What to search with

Brand and product name first, then the retailer, then the date range. Recalls are usually limited to specific lot codes and date ranges, so the packaging matters — the lot number is what tells you whether your unit is covered.

What the recall classes mean

Class I means a reasonable probability that use will cause serious health consequences or death — this is the category for pathogen contamination and undeclared allergens. Class II means temporary or reversible health consequences. Class III means a violation unlikely to cause harm, typically a labeling issue.