Your favorite grocery item got recalled, now what?

It can be confusing keeping up with why your favorite grocery item was recalled – especially with the 11% uptick in product recalls experienced in 2023.

Product recalls are important, time-sensitive warnings that go out to consumers by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) when a violation is identified.

An item is recalled if it contains:

• Disease-causing microorganisms
• Foreign objects
• An unidentified major food allergen

When you come across a recalled item in your possession, you may wonder what steps you need to take to protect your health and safety.

“If you hear about a recall, don’t panic,” says Dr. Robert Citronberg, the executive medical director of infectious disease and prevention at Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care. “There’s no need to call a doctor or go the emergency room unless you experience symptoms that you’re getting sick, like diarrhea, or you experience a severe injury from the product.”

A good reason not to panic is that recalls are typically isolated to specific product details, such as product name, expiration date and sometimes even location sold.

If you identify that your product exactly matches the recall, return the product to the store or dispose per the instructions in the recall notice. After safely removing the product from your home, the FDA recommends cleaning potentially contaminated areas, including refrigerators, freezers, counters and food storage containers.

“These recalls are important for awareness as some people are at a higher risk of illness and injury if they are pregnant, immunocompromised or have a chronic illness,” says Dr. Citronberg. “If this is the case, notifying your doctor is beneficial.”

Stay up to date with product recalls by:

• Visiting the FDA and USDA’s websites. This allows you to review enforcement reports and public warnings.
• Subscribing to recall notifications.

Are you trying to find a doctor? Look here if you live in Illinois. Look here if you live in Wisconsin.