What Does a USDA Class I Recall Mean?

A Class I recall is the most serious classification FSIS uses. It means there is a reasonable probability that eating the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.

Common Causes of Class I Recalls

• Contamination with E. coli O157:H7 or other Shiga toxin-producing E. coli
• Contamination with Listeria monocytogenes or Salmonella
• Undeclared major allergens (milk, eggs, soy, wheat, tree nuts, etc.)
• Products produced without federal inspection

What to Do If You Have a Class I Recalled Product

1. Do not eat the product, even if it looks and smells fine
2. Check the recall details for matching establishment numbers, lot codes, and sell-by dates
3. Throw it away or return it to the place of purchase
4. Watch for symptoms of foodborne illness and contact a doctor if you feel unwell, especially if you're pregnant, elderly, very young, or immunocompromised

Class I vs. Class II and Class III

• Class I — reasonable probability of serious health consequences or death
• Class II — health consequences are remote or unlikely to be serious. See our Class II guide
• Class III — not likely to cause adverse health consequences. See our Class III guide

In some cases, FSIS issues a public health alert instead of a Class I recall — usually when the product is likely no longer available to be recalled, but the agency still wants to warn consumers.

Finding Class I Recalls

Use our USDA recalls search to filter for Class I recalls by category, status, or product name.