How to read an Australian food recall notice

When a food is recalled in Australia, the official notice tells you which products are affected. Once you know where to look, checking your pantry is straightforward. This guide walks through each part of a notice, shows a made-up EXAMPLE, and explains how to compare it with what's in your cupboard or fridge.

Where official recall notices come from

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) coordinates food recalls in Australia. Most recalls are started by the food business itself. FSANZ publishes consumer-level recalls on its website at foodstandards.gov.au/food-recalls.

You can subscribe to FSANZ's food recall email alert, and FSANZ says you can also stay informed through Facebook or Instagram. State and territory food authorities, such as the NSW Food Authority, also list recalls on their own websites.

Whatever you read on social media, in a group chat or in a text, the FSANZ notice is the final word. Always open it before you decide anything.

What's on a FSANZ recall notice, field by field

FSANZ notices don't all look identical. Some put the details in a "Recall information" section, others list them in the summary. Recent FSANZ notices usually include the following.

Product. The product name as the business lists it. The pack size, weight or volume is usually part of this line (for example "200g" or "1L and 2L"). If several sizes are recalled, they'll all be named here or in the date marking details.

Business. The company running the recall. This is often the importer or distributor rather than the brand you see on the shelf, so don't be thrown if the names differ.

Recall published. The date the notice went up. If FSANZ later changes a notice, the title can start with "UPDATED" and a date. An update can change the details, so it's worth re-checking.

Recall summary. A sentence or two on who is recalling the product and where it was sold, such as a type of store, a named retailer, or online.

Distributed in. The states or territories where the product was sold, and sometimes "Online". Only rely on the places the notice actually lists.

Recall reason. A short category such as "Undeclared allergen" or "Microbial contamination". FSANZ's own list of recall reasons also includes labelling errors, foreign matter, chemical contaminants, packaging faults and biotoxins.

Date marking(s). The Use By or Best Before date (or both) of the affected packs. Formats vary a lot: you might see 21/10/2026, 2026-12-08, or a month and year. Compare them character for character with your pack.

Batch or lot code. FSANZ says notices can include batch or lot codes. Where one is given, it's one of the most precise ways to tell whether your pack is affected. Not every notice includes one.

Problem. What has gone wrong, in more detail than the recall reason. For an allergen recall, it names the allergen, for example "The presence of an undeclared allergen (Milk)".

Food safety hazard. Why the problem matters, in the notice's own words. Read this line carefully. On allergen recalls, it often makes clear who the risk applies to.

What to do. The official instructions for consumers. These differ from notice to notice. For example, on allergen recalls the instructions may be addressed to people with that allergy or intolerance, while on other recalls they apply to everyone. That's why you should follow the "What to do" section exactly as it's written on the notice in front of you, rather than going by memory or a summary.

Further information. Contact details for the business, such as a phone number, email or website. FSANZ suggests contacting the company if you have questions about the recall.

Recall notice (PDF). Many notices link to the business's own recall notice as a PDF. It sometimes includes a picture of the packaging.

An EXAMPLE notice, broken down

Here's how those fields fit together. This is a made-up EXAMPLE. The product, business and codes are fictional and don't refer to any real recall.

EXAMPLE ONLY: not a real recall

Product: Example Brand Crackers 200g (EXAMPLE)
Business: Example Brand Foods (fictional)
Recall published: EXAMPLE date
Distributed in: EXAMPLE: the states or territories listed on the real notice
Recall reason: Undeclared allergen (EXAMPLE)
Date marking(s): EXAMPLE: Best Before 01 JAN 2027, Lot EX123
Problem: EXAMPLE: The presence of an undeclared allergen (sesame).
Food safety hazard: [Food safety hazard as stated in the notice]
What to do: [official consumer action, quoted word for word from the notice]
Further information: [business contact details as listed on the notice]

Reading it from the top:

1. Product and size: only the 200g pack of this EXAMPLE product is named. A different size wouldn't match unless the notice lists it.
2. Where it was sold: check the notice lists the state or territory, or the online channel, where you bought it.
3. Date marking and lot code: in this EXAMPLE, a pack is only a match if it shows Best Before 01 JAN 2027 and Lot EX123, printed the same way.
4. Problem and hazard: these tell you what's wrong and why it matters, and on a real notice the hazard line explains who is at risk.
5. What to do: on a real notice, this is the part you follow, word for word.

How to check a product in your pantry

Take the notice and the pack side by side and work through these steps.

1. Open the official notice. Go to the FSANZ notice itself, not a screenshot or a repost. Check whether its title starts with "UPDATED".
2. Match the product name and brand. Look at the front of the pack. Similar-looking products from other brands aren't covered unless the notice names them.
3. Match the pack size. Find the weight or volume on the label (for example 200g or 1L) and compare it with the notice.
4. Find the date marking. Where the date mark appears varies by product. Check it says the same type (Use By or Best Before) and the same date as the notice. Compare it character for character, because formats vary.
5. Find the batch or lot code, if the notice gives one. Where codes and dates appear varies by product, so check the notice and match exactly what it lists, character for character.
6. Check where you bought it. Compare the state, territory, store type or online shop with the "Distributed in" details and the summary.
7. Decide whether it matches. FSANZ explains that if your product's size, Use By or Best Before date, or batch code is different, your product may not be the one being recalled. If you're unsure, the notice lists the business's contact details.
8. Check the fridge too. Recalls can include chilled products such as milk, not just pantry items.

If your product matches

Go back to the notice and follow its "What to do" section exactly as it's written. It's there so the instructions you act on come straight from the official source.

Any consumers concerned about their health should seek medical advice.

FSANZ's consumer FAQs also cover what to do if you have questions for the company, or concerns about how a recall has been handled.

Staying across new recalls

You can subscribe to FSANZ's food recall email alert, and check the current list at foodstandards.gov.au/food-recalls.

If you'd rather get a text, Food Recall Alerts offers recall alerts by SMS. Our recall information comes from FSANZ notices. Browsing recall history on our website is free. SMS alerts need a paid plan.

Food Recall Alerts is an independent service and is not FSANZ or an Australian Government service. We don't decide what gets recalled. This is a notification service, not a safety guarantee, and alerts can be delayed or not delivered. Don't rely on it as your only safeguard: keep reading labels, follow medical advice about allergies, and check foodstandards.gov.au if you're unsure. Nothing we send is medical advice.

See how Food Recall Alerts works