As a parent, it is essential that keep an eye out for food that has been recalled. When food is recalled, it can create a serious health risk if you and your family consume it. You want to do your best to avoid eating recalled food. A recall of food occurs when there is food on the market, putting consumers at risk of becoming ill when they consume it. Oftentimes, the manufacturer or distributor recalls the food. However, there are times when a government agency initiates this step. The largest food recall occurred in 2008 when more than 3,200 products were recalled. When you hear about a food recall, you want to ensure that you find out if you purchased the food that has been affected. There are some other steps you should take if you are a parent of a family that ate recalled food.
Determine Exactly What Was Recalled
The good news is that recall notices are specific and include detailed information regarding the months the product was sold, expiration dates, and even parts of or complete serial numbers. You should even be able to determine which stores sold the contaminated and recalled products. It is easy to determine if your zip code was at risk. You can quickly determine if the food you have was contaminated or if you can eat the food without any concern. If you have purchased food that was recalled, you want to determine why.
Understand Why Food Was Recalled
Some food items are recalled because the packaging did not contain the information or disclose allergens, such as milk and nuts. If you are not allergic to these items, it is safe for you to eat the food item. However, if the food item was pulled because there is a contaminant, you do not want to eat the item. This is because the food may have a food-borne illness as a result of exposure to viruses, bacteria, or contaminants. If it is confirmed that you should not have eaten the food, now you watch for symptoms.
Monitor Symptoms
It would be best if you watched for symptoms that include vomiting, confusion, rash, hives, fever, muscle aches, gastric distress, or diarrhea. If these symptoms last longer than 24 hours, you can risk serious dehydration. If you have been permanently disabled as a result of food being recalled, you may be able to file a claim. In the state of Texas, you have up to two years to file a personal injury claim.
Next Steps
If you have eaten a food product that has been recalled, there are some steps you should take. First, you want to dispose of the products that were recalled completely. This ensures no one else in your house can consume the food. You can read the website to see if there are any instructions that you should follow for disposing of the food. If anyone in your family consumes the product, you want to monitor your family to see if they have any symptoms or illnesses as a result of consuming the food. If anyone gets sick, you should consider contacting your doctor and let them know you were exposed. Instead of destroying the food, you may be able to return it to the store where you purchased the food to get a refund for the food. Finally, you want to make sure you follow safe food preparation practices at home.
When food has been recalled, it is a big deal. You want to make sure that you follow the proper protocol for handling the food and watching for symptoms.