What Is a Listeria Recall?

A Listeria recall occurs when a food product tests positive for Listeria monocytogenes — a dangerous bacterium that can cause listeriosis, a serious infection particularly dangerous for pregnant women, newborns, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.

Why Are Listeria Recalls Serious?

The FDA classifies the vast majority of Listeria recalls as Class I — the highest severity level — meaning there is a reasonable probability that consuming the product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death. Listeriosis kills approximately 260 people in the United States each year according to the CDC.

What Should I Do If a Listeria Product Is Recalled?

Stop using the product immediately — do not taste it to check if it seems safe. Discard or return the product — Listeria cannot be detected by sight, smell, or taste. Clean and sanitize any surfaces or containers that touched the recalled product, and watch for symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, nausea, or diarrhea, seeking medical attention if symptoms appear.

Temperature Control Food Recalls

FDA Enforcement Data · FoodRecallFinder.com · 28 brands tracked · Updated weekly

What Is a Temperature Control Recall?

A temperature control recall occurs when a food product has been exposed to improper temperatures during manufacturing, storage, or distribution — commonly referred to as a “temperature abuse” event. This includes products that were not kept adequately refrigerated or frozen, allowing harmful bacteria to multiply to unsafe levels.

Temperature control failures can happen at any point in the supply chain — during production, warehousing, transportation, or retail storage — and often go undetected until testing reveals elevated bacterial counts.

Why Temperature Control Recalls Matter

Temperature control failures create ideal conditions for bacterial growth. Many foodborne pathogens including Listeria, Salmonella, and certain strains of E. coli multiply rapidly when food is held in the “danger zone” between 40°F and 140°F. Extended time in this range can transform a safe product into a hazardous one even without any contamination at the point of manufacture.

The FDA classifies the vast majority of temperature control recalls as Class II. In our database, Class I recalls in this category are rare — most temperature control issues are treated as precautionary rather than confirmed active hazards.

Foods Most Commonly Affected

Refrigerated ready-to-eat meals
Dairy products requiring cold storage
Fresh seafood and shellfish
Deli meats and prepared foods
Frozen foods that experienced thaw-refreeze cycles
Perishable bakery items with dairy or egg fillings

Common Causes of Temperature Control Recalls

Refrigeration equipment failure — malfunctioning coolers or freezers during storage or transport
Distribution delays — extended time outside refrigeration during shipping
Retail storage errors — improper temperature maintenance at point of sale
Power outages — loss of refrigeration during facility power failures
Inadequate cold chain monitoring — failure to track temperature throughout the supply chain

Temperature Control Recalls in Our Database

FoodRecallFinder.com tracks 28 brands where temperature control is the predominant contamination type in their FDA recall history. Temperature control is the least common contamination category in our database.

To view the full recall history for any brand including temperature control events use the search bar on our homepage or browse all brands A-Z.

What to Do If Your Product Is Recalled

Stop using the product immediately
Do not consume it even if it appears and smells normal
Return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund
Watch for symptoms of foodborne illness and seek medical attention if they appear
Report illness to the FDA at FDA.gov

Data Source

All recall data on FoodRecallFinder.com is sourced from the FDA Recall Enterprise System via the openFDA Food Enforcement API. Data is updated weekly. FoodRecallFinder.com is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

For the complete list of temperature control recalls visit FDA.gov directly.