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Posted by: OFT Food Safety & Injury Lawyers

Food recalls are inevitable, but that doesn’t mean they should happen so frequently. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued 337 food recalls in 2019, with undeclared allergens leading the pack as the biggest contributor. However, allergens and pathogens aren’t the only things that can spark a food recall; sometimes foreign materials like plastic and metal can find their way into beef and other frozen foods.

If you’ve suffered from a physical illness or injury as a result of a food recall, know that you are fully within your rights to pursue legal recourse. Our OFT Food Safety & Injury lawyers have been helping people get the compensation they deserve in unsafe food cases, and we’d love for you to be our next success story. Call us today at (888) 828-7087 to schedule your free consultation.

I Have a Food Product That Was Recalled–Now What?

It’s important to stay calm in the wake of a food recall. If you haven’t eaten the food yet, then you’re likely have nothing to fear. Still, proceed with common sense when figuring out how to get rid of the maligned food product. This means don’t open, touch, eat or it. And don’t donate the food product to a local food bank, or feed it to your pets, as they can also get food poisoning. If you do open or handle it, wash your hands immediately for at least 20 seconds.

When food manufacturers issue a recall, they’ll usually give instructions on how to safely dispose of the product. In most cases, you can either return the product to the store where you bought it from for a refund, or you can safely dispose of it.

But perhaps you were frying up the bad meat in question when you first heard about this recall. If that’s the case, remember not to panic; as long as you haven’t eaten the contaminated food, you’ll likely be fine.

Instead, throw the food away immediately and disinfect your kitchen. You’ll have to wash all the cookware and utensils with hot, soapy water, and disinfect surfaces and shelves with a sanitizing solution. Wash any plates or silverware that came into contact with the contaminated food, especially if there’s an undeclared allergen that could pose a health risk to you or one of your family members.

To learn more about any recent outbreaks or food recalls, check out the FDA’s official list, which receives periodic updates.

I Ingested a Food Product That Was Recalled–Will I Be Okay?

Food recalls are notices to the public that the manufacturer is experiencing problems with its processing facilities, and not emergency alerts that thousands of people are getting sick. It may help to check out the USDA or FDA’s press releases surrounding the food recalls so that you can monitor any signs of illness. We closely monitor outbreaks related to food, and post about them here if people get sick.

Educating yourself on the food recalls will also help you explain your situation to your doctor, should you need to pay them a visit. Not only will your doctor be able to treat you accordingly, but they can also notify your state’s health department and CDC about this potential consumer risk.

How OFT Food Safety & Injury Lawyers Can Help You

Food recalls can inflict a lot of lasting damage. Our team of experienced and empathetic food safety lawyers are here to help you navigate the tricky legal process, as well as guide you through any questions or concerns you may have. To learn more about how we can best serve you, give us a call at (888) 828-7087.

Notable Recoveries

$10 million

Seven infants were sickened after consuming a contaminated food product marketed to infants

$6.5 million

Verdict on behalf of a little boy who contracted a severe Salmonella infection from chicken

$7.55 million

Verdict on behalf of a little girl who contracted E. coli at a petting zoo

$2.25 million

E. coli infections contracted from a major fast food chain

$45 million

An over-the-counter medication caused severe kidney damage to multiple users

$3.4 million

A pregnant woman contracted a Listeria infection from contaminated fruit and passed the infection to her child

$3 million

Multistate Cyclospora outbreaks

$275,000

A couple contracted Salmonella from a restaurant

$525,000

A pedestrian was struck by a left-turning car, fracturing her tibia

$700,000

A semi-truck rear-ended a motorcyclist causing a collapsed lung, rib fractures and road rash