Food Recalls

Match the specific codes, not just the brand. Recalls almost always cover particular lot numbers, best-by dates and package sizes rather than every unit ever made. On packaged food these codes are usually printed in small date-coding ink on the side seam, the bottom, or near the top seal — not on the front label. If your codes don't match the recall notice, your item isn't affected.

No. Contamination such as Salmonella, Listeria or E. coli is invisible and doesn't change how food looks, smells or tastes. Follow the instructions in the official notice — usually returning the item for a refund or discarding it in a sealed bag.

It comes down to the product. The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service regulates meat, poultry and certain egg products, while the FDA covers nearly everything else — produce, dairy, seafood, packaged goods and supplements. That's why a chicken recall and a lettuce recall come from different agencies.