What to Do If You Bought a Recalled Food Product

Step One: Confirm the Recall Applies to Your Product

Before taking any action, verify that the recall actually applies to the specific product you purchased. Recall notices include identifying details like lot numbers, UPC codes, package sizes, and best-by dates. Check these against the packaging of the product in your kitchen. A recall for a particular brand of ground turkey might only affect packages produced on specific dates at one factory — not every package of that brand sold everywhere.

You can search RecallDepth for the product name or brand to find the full recall notice with all identifying details.

Stop Using the Product

If your product matches the recall notice, stop consuming it immediately. This applies even if the food looks, smells, and tastes normal. Many contaminants — including Salmonella, Listeria, and undeclared allergens — are not detectable by sight or smell. Do not try to cook the contamination away unless the recall notice specifically says that thorough cooking eliminates the hazard (which is rare in a Class I recall).

Return It or Throw It Away

You have two options for disposing of the recalled food:

• Return it to the store: Most retailers will accept recalled products for a full refund, even without a receipt. The retailer is typically reimbursed by the manufacturer.
• Throw it away: If returning is not practical, dispose of the product in a sealed bag in a trash container that children and pets cannot access. Do not donate recalled food to food banks or shelters.

Clean Surfaces and Containers

If the recalled product was stored in your refrigerator, freezer, or pantry, clean the area where it was kept. For products recalled due to microbial contamination, wash shelves, drawers, and any containers that came in contact with the product using hot soapy water and then sanitize. Listeria can survive in refrigerator environments, so thorough cleaning matters.

Watch for Symptoms

If you already consumed the recalled food product, monitor yourself for symptoms of foodborne illness. Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. Symptoms can appear anywhere from a few hours to several weeks after consumption, depending on the pathogen involved. Seek medical attention if symptoms are severe, if you are pregnant, if the affected person is a young child or elderly, or if you have a weakened immune system.

Report Illness

If you believe you became ill from a recalled product, report it. You can file a report with the FDA through its MedWatch system or contact your local health department. These reports help federal agencies track outbreaks, identify the full scope of contamination, and improve future recall responses. Check active recalls to stay informed about ongoing food safety issues.