Protecting consumers by building strong food safety cultures
The Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness is leading a collaborative effort to modernize the U.S. food recall system with one clear goal: better protection for consumers.
This working group brings together federal agencies, state and local regulators, industry leaders, public health organizations, and consumer advocates to improve how recalls are executed and communicated — ensuring people receive timely, clear, and actionable information.
Improving Recall Communications: We research how consumers and industry respond to recalls to develop plain-language notification templates that are clear, actionable, and effective. We are also working to reduce the time it takes to classify a recall, making recall notices more timely and useful for consumers.
Facilitating Collaboration: We convene stakeholders across industry, government, and advocacy to align recall language, policies, and systems.
Best Practice Exchanges: We create structured opportunities for industry, regulators, and public health partners to share proven strategies, lessons learned, and practical tools that improve recall readiness, execution, and prevention across the food system.
Thought Leadership & Policy Engagement: We publish white papers and expert commentary outlining challenges, solutions, and next steps for recall modernization.
How the research works
Phase 1: Needs assessment through interviews, focus groups, and surveys (completed)
Phase 2: Development of new recall templates with input from regulators, journalists, and consumer groups (completed)
Phase 3: Testing templates across press releases, social media, and digital platforms (in progress)
The templates will be:
-Written in plain language
-Harmonized across FDA and USDA
-Adaptable for pathogens, allergens, chemicals, and foreign objects
-Easy to distribute via media, email, text, point-of-sale systems, and social platforms
-Structured for translation, beginning with Spanish
$153,000 raised as of March 2026
**Additional supporters are needed to advance this critical work.**
The U.S. experiences hundreds of food recalls each year, yet recalls remain fragmented, inconsistent, and overly reliant on consumer vigilance.
An effective recall system must be timely, coordinated, technology-enabled and -- most importantly -- consumer-focused.
Clear communication is essential — not just announcing a recall, but ensuring people understand what to do and act quickly.
Stop Foodborne Illness convenes a recall modernization working group that includes industry members, current and former regulators, public health experts, and individuals affected by foodborne illness. Through regular meetings and focused exchanges, the group shares best practices, identifies gaps, and advances practical solutions to improve recall effectiveness nationwide.
Contact Vanessa Coffman for information on how to join the working group, donate to the research project, or share your expertise!
