Safety Recalls: New Online Search Makes Finding Information Easier

Abstract

cConsumers can now search for food and other product recalls easier and quicker on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Web site than previously. The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) signed into law in January by President Obama called for a more consumer-friendly recall search engine. To provide greater ease of use for consumers, the search results provide data from news releases and other recall announcements in the form of a table. That table organizes information from news releases on recalls since 2009 by date, product brand name, product description, reason for the recall and the recalling firm. The table also provides a link to the news release on each recall for more detailed information. The news releases were chosen as the source of information for the table because they provide the most up-to-date and user-friendly information about any recall. Per the requirements of the FSMA, for certain recalls the search results will also provide status information on whether the recall is completed or ongoing. The status information will be provided for those recalls for which FDA either ordered a mandatory recall or provided the opportunity for a voluntary recall Safety Recalls