FDA launches consumer-friendly recall website

This month, FDA launched its revamped Recalls, Market Withdrawals, and Safety Alerts website, making it easier for consumers to search and view food and product recall information going back to 2009.

The new format links to the original FDA news release on each recall as well as displays the data in table form by date, product brand name, product description, reason for the recall, the recalling firm, and photos.

The new site (www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/default.htm), mandated by the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) signed into law in January, also provides status information on whether the recall is completed or ongoing. The status information is provided for those recalls for which FDA either ordered a mandatory recall or provided the opportunity for a voluntary recall under FDA's FSMA authority. 

The site includes FDA-regulated food products, drugs, products affecting animal health, biologics, and medical devices. Information can be filtered by category, and recalled products can be sorted alphabetically by brand name or company, or by date.

“Recalls, mandatory or otherwise, are serious and we must do everything possible to make it easier for people to know about these recalls so they can take all appropriate steps to protect themselves and their families,” said Mike Taylor, FDA Deputy Commissioner for Foods. “We encourage people to check out our new recalls search page for themselves, and use it whenever they have a question about a recall.”