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Recalls Watch

Recalls outside the main catalog: meat, devices, tires and car seats

Four major safety categories — meat and poultry (USDA FSIS), medical devices and diagnostic tests (FDA CDRH), tires (NHTSA) and child car seats (NHTSA) — are not in the main consumer catalog. This guide explains which agency regulates each, how to find the inspection stamp or code on your product, and direct ways to check.

1. Meat, poultry and processed egg products (USDA FSIS)

In the United States, commercial food safety is split between two federal agencies. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees produce, seafood, dairy, snacks and whole shell eggs, the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA FSIS) has exclusive statutory jurisdiction over commercial meat, poultry, and processed egg products under the Federal Meat Inspection Act and Poultry Products Inspection Act.

FSIS recalls cover raw and processed beef, pork, chicken, turkey, lamb, sausages, hot dogs, deli cold cuts, and liquid, frozen or dried egg products. When this site was constructed, the automated FSIS public data endpoint responded with HTTP 403 to automated crawlers, which is why these notices are not imported into the automated weekly catalog.

How to find the USDA Mark of Inspection

Every inspected meat and poultry product package carries the circular or shield-shaped USDA Mark of Inspection (commonly called the “USDA Bug”). The text inside reads “U.S. INSPECTED AND PASSED BY DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE” and contains an establishment identifier:

  • EST. followed by numbers (such as EST. 5842): identifies a red meat slaughter or processing establishment.
  • P- followed by numbers (such as P-1358): identifies a poultry slaughter or processing establishment.
  • G- or EST. numbers: identifies a processed egg products plant.

When USDA FSIS issues a recall for Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7 or undeclared allergens, the official notice always states the specific establishment numbers printed inside the mark. Even if two packages share the same store brand, only products bearing the recalled establishment number are part of the recall action.

Official USDA FSIS resources

Check an establishment number or product name

Type the number from the circular USDA Mark of Inspection (for example, EST. 5842 or P-1358) or a product term (e.g. ground beef, sausage).

Found inside the circle or shield on meat and poultry packaging.

2. Medical devices and diagnostic tests (FDA CDRH)

The FDA regulates pharmaceuticals and medical devices through different divisions. While drug recalls are released through openFDA enforcement reports (and included in our medicines category), medical devices and diagnostic products are published through the FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) in a dedicated database.

Medical device notices cover hospital equipment, diagnostic test kits (such as COVID-19 or glucose tests), CPAP and BiPAP breathing machines, automated external defibrillators (AEDs), insulin pumps, surgical implants (artificial hips, knees, stents) and pacemakers.

Understanding FDA recall classifications

FDA assigns one of three classifications based on the degree of health risk:

  • Class I Recall: The most serious category. Use of or exposure to the violative device has a reasonable probability of causing serious adverse health consequences or death.
  • Class II Recall: Use of or exposure to the device may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences, or where the probability of serious injury is remote.
  • Class III Recall: Use of or exposure to the device is not likely to cause adverse health consequences.

Important medical advice: If you or a family member use a prescribed medical device that has been recalled, do not stop or change its use without immediately consulting your prescribing doctor or healthcare provider. For implanted devices, keep your manufacturer implant card readily accessible.

Official FDA device resources

Search FDA Medical Device Recalls

Enter the brand, manufacturer, device model name, 510(k) or recall number to query the official FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) database directly.

e.g. DreamStation, Medtronic, pacemaker, insulin pump, CPAP, Z-0834-2024

Browse full FDA CDRH database (opens in a new tab)Have an FDA recall event ID? Look up here

3. Tires (NHTSA Equipment)

While vehicle recall campaigns on this site cover motor vehicles by make, model and model year, tires are classified as motor vehicle equipment by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Tires can be original equipment installed when a vehicle was assembled, or aftermarket replacement tires purchased years later.

NHTSA indexes tire campaigns under campaign numbers containing the letter T (such as 24T001000). You can check individual campaign numbers directly in our Recall lookup by number.

How to decode the DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN)

Every tire approved for highway use in the United States has a Department of Transportation (DOT) code molded into the sidewall, beginning with the letters “DOT”. The final grouping of numbers is the crucial date code:

  • Tires manufactured after 2000 have a four-digit date code at the end of the TIN.
  • The first two digits represent the calendar week of the year (from 01 to 52).
  • The last two digits represent the calendar year (for instance, 24 represents 2024, 22 represents 2022).
  • Example: DOT XXXX XXXX 2422 means the tire was produced during the 24th week of 2022 (June 2022).

When NHTSA or a tire manufacturer (such as Michelin, Goodyear, Bridgestone or Continental) announces a safety recall, the notice specifies the exact tire brand, tire line, tire size, and the range of DOT date codes that have the defect (such as tread separation, bead cracking or sidewall blisters).

Official NHTSA tire resources

DOT 4-digit date code calculator

Look at your tire sidewall for the code starting with “DOT”. Enter the last 4 digits (for example, 2422 or 1023).

First 2 digits = week, last 2 digits = year

Check NHTSA tire recalls (opens in a new tab)Have an NHTSA campaign ID (e.g. 24T001000)? Look up here

4. Child car seats and booster seats (NHTSA Child Restraints)

A frequent point of confusion is who regulates baby and children’s safety products. While the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) regulates nursery gear, strollers, high chairs, playpens and toys (featured in our children’s products category), child restraint systems designed for motor vehicles are legally classified as automotive safety equipment governed by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 (FMVSS 213) under NHTSA.

NHTSA oversees safety compliance and recalls for rear-facing infant seats, convertible seats, all-in-one seats, high-back boosters and backless booster seats from brands such as Graco, Britax, Chicco, Evenflo, Cybex, Maxi-Cosi, Diono, Nuna, Cosco and Clek.

Child seat campaigns receive an NHTSA campaign number with the letter C (such as 24C001000). You can enter any NHTSA campaign ID into our Recall lookup by number.

How to identify your car seat

Every child car seat must have a permanent manufacturer label affixed to the plastic shell (typically on the underside or backside of the seat). The label contains three essential details:

  • Manufacturer and Brand Name (e.g. Graco Children’s Products, Britax Child Safety).
  • Model Name and Model Number (e.g. 1944520 or Extend2Fit).
  • Date of Manufacture (DOM) printed as YYYY-MM-DD or MM/DD/YYYY.

Registering your car seat: By federal regulation, manufacturers must provide a registration card with every new seat. If you register your seat, the manufacturer is legally obligated to contact you directly if a safety recall is issued. You can register anytime on the manufacturer website or through NHTSA.

Official NHTSA child seat resources

Check child car seats and booster seats at NHTSA

Child safety seats are regulated by NHTSA as motor vehicle equipment. Enter your brand, model name or NHTSA campaign number to search official recall and defect notices directly.

e.g. Graco, Britax, Chicco, Evenflo, Extend2Fit, 24C001000

Browse NHTSA car seat portal (opens in a new tab)Register your car seat with manufacturer (opens in a new tab)Have an NHTSA campaign ID (e.g. 24C001000)? Look up here

Questions and answers

Why are meat and poultry recalls not in the main search?

Meat, poultry and processed egg products are regulated by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), not by FDA. The FSIS automated data service returned HTTP 403 when this site was built, so its notices are not collected in the main catalog. They can be searched on the official USDA FSIS portal.

How do I know if meat or poultry is from a recalled establishment?

Every USDA-inspected meat and poultry product bears the circular USDA Mark of Inspection (the “bug”) containing an Establishment Number. Numbers prefixed with “EST.” identify red meat plants; numbers prefixed with “P-” identify poultry plants. FSIS recall notices always list the specific establishment numbers affected.

Where do I search for medical device recalls?

FDA classifies and publishes medical device recalls (including CPAP machines, pacemakers, insulin pumps and test kits) in the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) Medical Device Recalls database. You can search by device brand name, manufacturer or model number on accessdata.fda.gov.

Why are child car seats regulated by NHTSA instead of CPSC?

Under federal law, child restraint systems and booster seats are considered motor vehicle safety equipment governed by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 (FMVSS 213). They are regulated and investigated by NHTSA, while CPSC oversees household baby gear like cribs, strollers and high chairs.

How do I read a tire DOT code to check for recalls?

Find the sequence on the tire sidewall beginning with “DOT”. The final four digits represent the date of manufacture: the first two digits are the week of the year, and the last two are the year (for example, 2422 means the 24th week of 2022). NHTSA recall notices specify the brand, tire line and DOT date range affected.

Keep checking