If recalled food may be contaminated with germs, discard it as its recall notice directs, wash affected kitchen items and surfaces with hot soapy water, then sanitize them. If the recall is for an undeclared allergen, FoodSafety.gov instead advises washing any surfaces the food may have touched with soap and water if it was served. Check the exact recall notice first: the instructions depend on both the product and the reason for the recall.
First, confirm that the food matches the recall
Compare the notice with the product’s brand, name, date code, establishment number, or other identifying details. Do not assume a product is included just because it is the same general type. FoodSafety.gov advises consumers to check whether the recall information matches the item: Recalls and Outbreaks.
If the item matches, do not open or eat it. Follow the notice’s instructions for returning or disposing of it so that no person or animal consumes it. The recall listing changes over time, so consult the current notice for the specific item.
Choose cleanup steps based on the recall reason
| Recall reason | What to clean | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Possible germ contamination or illness | Items and surfaces the food may have contacted, including cookware, utensils, cutting boards, counters, and refrigerator drawers and shelves. | Wash with hot soapy water, then sanitize as directed below. |
| Undeclared allergen | If the food was served, surfaces that may have contacted it, such as plates, pots and pans, utensils, and counters. | Wash with soap and water. The cited FoodSafety.gov allergen guidance does not prescribe the bleach recipe below. |
FoodSafety.gov explains that food recalled for possible germ contamination or illness can leave germs around the kitchen, including on refrigerator drawers and shelves. Its allergen instruction is separate: when the product has been served, wash surfaces it may have touched with soap and water. Both directions appear on the official Recalls and Outbreaks page, last reviewed July 17, 2025.
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For possible germ contamination: wash, then sanitize
- Remove the recalled food. Follow the recall notice’s return or disposal instructions; do not open or eat the product.
- Wash affected items and surfaces. Use hot soapy water on cookware, utensils (including cutting boards), counters, and refrigerator drawers and shelves that may have been exposed.
- Apply a sanitizing solution. FoodSafety.gov gives this recipe: 1 tablespoon unscented liquid chlorine bleach in 1 gallon of water. Apply it to the relevant surfaces and let treated surfaces air dry.
- Rinse dishes and cookware with the solution. FoodSafety.gov specifically says to rinse dishes and cookware with sanitizing solution; it does not give the same rinse instruction for every surface.
The cited recall-cleanup guidance does not specify a contact or dwell time. Follow the applicable product label as well as the government instructions, and do not invent a wait time from this recipe. The recipe is for the germ-contamination cleanup described by FoodSafety.gov; do not treat it as the page’s instruction for an undeclared-allergen recall.
For an undeclared allergen: wash contacted surfaces with soap and water
If the recalled food was served, wash with soap and water the plates, pots and pans, utensils, counters, and any other surfaces it may have contacted. This is the allergen-specific direction in FoodSafety.gov’s recall guidance. The cited paragraph does not recommend the bleach recipe for this scenario.
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Keep cleanup products off food
This procedure is for kitchen surfaces, dishes, and utensils—not fresh produce. Do not wash fruit or vegetables with bleach or other cleaning products. FoodSafety.gov’s food-poisoning guidance and the FDA’s tips for cleaning fruits and vegetables caution against using chemicals to wash produce.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Scope of this guidance
These are consumer-oriented U.S. instructions from FoodSafety.gov, a USDA/FDA information portal. They do not establish sanitation requirements for commercial food service. For a recalled product, the specific notice remains the place to check for product-specific return or disposal directions.
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