Recall Classification Guide
A plain-language guide to the FDA classification and status labels shown in Recall Radar. Use this to decide what to inspect first, then confirm exact product, firm, lot, date, and source-record details before acting.
Class I
Class I is FDA's most serious recall class. It generally means there is a reasonable probability that use of, or exposure to, the product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.
Recall Radar ranks Class I records first because they are the clearest public signal that a visitor should inspect the product details promptly.
Class II
Class II generally means use of, or exposure to, the product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences, or that the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.
These records can still matter, especially for medicine, supplements, medical devices, children, older adults, and people managing health conditions.
Class III And Unclassified
Class III generally means use of, or exposure to, the product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences. Some openFDA records may also be unclassified or have incomplete fields.
Lower classification does not prove a product is safe for every person or situation. It only means the enforcement record carries a lower FDA recall-class signal.
Ongoing, Completed, Terminated
Ongoing means the recall record is still active in the loaded FDA enforcement data. Completed or terminated records may still be useful for matching older products, but they are lower priority for a daily scan.
Status can change as FDA or the recalling firm updates the record, so source-record links remain the best place to verify the current agency view.
Start With Classification, Finish With Matching
Classification is a priority signal, not a match by itself. After a record looks relevant, compare product description, recalling firm, lot or code fields, distribution text, report date, recall number, and event ID.
Use Recall Radar for interactive search, the private match checker for product/firm/code clues, the field guide for record fields, and the action checklist after a possible match.