How to figure out if your food has been recalled
With the many recalls issued already this year for food contamination, it can be difficult to figure out if the foods in your fridge are safe to eat. Unfortunately, prior to a recall, there is no way to know if your food is contaminated. That is why it is crucial that companies recall its products as soon as contamination is detected. Once the products are recalled, it makes it a little easier for consumers. If you have a potential product that may have been recalled, you can go to the Food and Drug Administration’s website to find the official recall report. The recall report will give you a list with product codes and details for all the recalled products. The report will also often include use-by-dates and certain states or geographical areas affected.
After you have checked the report, you should be able to know if the products in your fridge are safe to consume. If you do have a recalled product, you can take it back to the store it was purchased from and usually get a full refund. Some recalled foods can contain serious bacteria or listeria. It is very important that you do not consume these products. Listeria can survive and cool temperatures and can be very harmful to those with weak immune systems. Bacteria and fungi cannot survive in cooler temperatures, which is why food should be refrigerated properly.
For more information on recalls you can visit the Food and Drug Administration’s website.