Food & Safety
How to read a food recall notice properly
A recall headline tells you a product is affected. The label identifiers tell you whether the package in your kitchen is affected.
MelonWire topics
Food & Safety
Practical reporting and checklists on the decisions that matter.
Food & Safety
Where to check meat and poultry recalls
The agency responsible for a recall matters because different products are tracked in different systems.
Food & Safety
How to find FDA product safety alerts
Food, supplements, cosmetics and other consumer products may appear on different official safety pages.
Food & Safety
What to do if you already ate a recalled food
A recall can cause understandable concern, but your response should depend on the product, hazard and personal circumstances.
Food & Safety
Why a lot number matters more than a headline
A familiar brand may have dozens of similar packages that were produced at different times and plants.
Food & Safety
How to sign up for recall information
There is no need to wait until a social-media headline lands in your feed to learn about consumer safety notices.
Food & Safety
A simple kitchen food safety checklist
Food safety is a chain of small habits, including storage, cleanliness and temperature control.
Food & Safety
How to inspect packaged food after a recall
The first instinct is often to throw everything away. A precise check is more useful.
Food & Safety
Allergen alerts: what labels can and cannot tell you
An undeclared allergen warning is not the same thing as a routine change in recipe or packaging.
Food & Safety
What a voluntary recall means
Voluntary does not automatically mean minor or harmless. The word describes how the recall was initiated.