Recall Glossary
Definitions of common terms used across CPSC, FDA, and USDA recalls.
Adverse Event Report
A submission to the FDA describing a possible reaction to a medication, device, or food product. Submitted by patients, healthcare providers, or manufacturers. A single report does not establish causation; recurring patterns inform recall action.
Brand
The company or product line that markets or manufactures the recalled item. Brand names are often listed differently across agency feeds; we normalize to a single canonical form per product line where possible.
Class I Recall (FDA)
The most serious FDA recall classification. There is a reasonable probability that use of the product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.
Class II Recall (FDA)
A situation in which use of the product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences, or where the probability of serious consequences is remote.
Class III Recall (FDA)
Use of the product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences. Often involves labeling or minor packaging defects.
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
The U.S. federal agency responsible for the safety of thousands of consumer products — toys, furniture, electronics, appliances, and more.
Corrective Action
What the recalling company will do to fix the safety issue: refund, replacement, repair, or removal from sale.
Critical Severity
On Product Recall Tracker: our highest severity tier, assigned when the recall description mentions death, fire, burn, or "do not use" language. Always defer to the agency's own language for definitive severity.
Do Not Drive (DND)
NHTSA terminology for a vehicle that should not be operated until repaired. Used here in spirit for analogous product recalls flagged with severe safety risk.
Do Not Use
Agency guidance that a recalled product should be stopped from use immediately, often pending repair, replacement, or refund.
Establishment Number (Est. #)
A USDA-assigned identifier on meat and poultry packaging that traces the product back to a specific FSIS-inspected facility.
FDA (Food and Drug Administration)
The U.S. federal agency that regulates drugs, medical devices, food (other than meat/poultry), cosmetics, and tobacco.
FSIS (Food Safety and Inspection Service)
The USDA agency that oversees meat, poultry, and processed egg products. Issues public health alerts and recalls.
Hazard Type
The kind of risk posed by the product: fire/burn, choking, strangulation, tip-over, electrical, foodborne pathogen, chemical, and others.
Listeria monocytogenes (Lm)
A bacterium that can cause serious foodborne illness, especially in pregnant people, newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.
Lot Number / Lot Code
A code printed on product packaging identifying when and where it was made. Used to determine if your specific item is part of a recall.
MedWatch
The FDA's safety information and adverse event reporting program. Consumers and clinicians can submit reports at fda.gov/safety/medwatch.
NHTSA Recall ID
A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall identifier (e.g. 24V-001). Not used on Product Recall Tracker — we cover CPSC/FDA/USDA, not vehicle recalls.
Public Health Alert (PHA)
A USDA FSIS notice issued when there is a public health concern but a formal recall is not requested (often because the product is no longer in commerce).
Recall
A formal action by a manufacturer, distributor, or agency to remove a product from the market or correct a safety problem.
Recall Date
The date the recall was first publicly announced by the issuing agency.
Salmonella
A bacterium that causes foodborne illness. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. Most people recover without treatment, but it can be severe for vulnerable groups.
SaferProducts.gov
The CPSC's consumer-facing portal where people can report unsafe products. Also the source of the public CPSC recall dataset.
Severity
How serious the safety risk is. On this site: critical, high, medium, or standard. See the methodology for scoring details.
Source
Which federal agency issued the recall — CPSC, FDA, or USDA. Determines what type of product is covered.
Units Affected
The estimated number of products covered by the recall. For CPSC recalls, this is parsed from the summary or set to a default. Actual counts may differ.
USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture)
The U.S. department that, through FSIS, regulates meat, poultry, and processed egg products.
Voluntary Recall
A recall initiated by the manufacturer rather than ordered by an agency. Most recalls in the U.S. are voluntary.