Recall Radar WebQuest
Family Safety Taskforce
RECALL RADAR
Evaluating Food Safety & Family Wellness • National Standard 14.3.4
Database: foodsafety.gov
Student Name:
Date of Investigation:
Class Period:
1 Understanding Recall Risk Levels
When food companies or safety officials find a dangerous food item, they issue a recall. To keep families safe and avoid panic, recalls are grouped into three classes based on how harmful the food is to human health:
Class I (High Danger)
The most dangerous level. Eating this food can cause serious illness, long-term health problems, or even death.
Example Threat:
Listeria bacteria, or peanuts left off a snack label.
Class II (Medium Danger)
A moderate threat. Eating this food might cause temporary health issues that can be treated, but severe reactions are rare.
Example Threat:
Small plastic pieces in cereal, or minor mold.
Class III (Low Danger)
A minor threat. Eating this food is highly unlikely to cause any health problems or make anyone sick.
Example Threat:
A labeling typo, or slightly incorrect package weight.
2 Live Recall Investigation
Go to the recall search tool at www.foodsafety.gov/recalls-and-outbreaks. Locate three active recalls and fill out their case files.
RECALL CASE FILE #1 SOURCE: FOODSAFETY.GOV
Product Brand & Name
Brand, size, flavor...
Where sold / grocery chain
Stores or States?
Target Consumer Group
Who buys this?
Reason for Recall (Specific germ, allergen, or object)
What makes this item unsafe to eat?
Risk Level
Class I (Serious danger) Class II (Mild risk) Class III (Very low risk)
RECALL CASE FILE #2 SOURCE: FOODSAFETY.GOV
Product Brand & Name
Brand, size, flavor...
Where sold / grocery chain
Stores or States?
Target Consumer Group
Who buys this?
Reason for Recall (Specific germ, allergen, or object)
What makes this item unsafe to eat?
Risk Level
Class I (Serious danger) Class II (Mild risk) Class III (Very low risk)
Unit: Food Safety & Family Wellness Page 1 of 3
Recall Database Continued
INVESTIGATION LEDGER
Evaluating Third Recall Case & Contaminant Classification
Verification Page
RECALL CASE FILE #3 SOURCE: FOODSAFETY.GOV
Product Brand & Name
Brand, size, flavor...
Where sold / grocery chain
Stores or States?
Target Consumer Group
Who buys this?
Reason for Recall (Specific germ, allergen, or object)
What makes this item unsafe to eat?
Risk Level
Class I (Serious danger) Class II (Mild risk) Class III (Very low risk)
3 Contaminant Classification Lab
Every recall is triggered by a contaminant. These are grouped into three types: Biological (living germs/bacteria), Chemical (harmful chemical substances or unlisted major allergens), and Physical (hard, foreign objects).
Threat Sorting Bank (Write these in the correct columns below):
• Salmonella bacteria in raw chicken
• Metal shavings from a slicing machine
• Pest control spray left on apples
• Glass shards from a broken storage jar
• Listeria bacteria in unpasteurized milk
• Cleaning sanitizer left on prep table
• Undeclared peanut flour in cookies
• Plastic bits from packing machinery
Biological (Living Germs)
Living organisms that multiply and cause food infections or sickness.
Chemical (Substances)
Toxic molecules, cleaners, or unlisted allergens that trigger severe reactions.
Physical (Foreign Objects)
Any hard, solid materials that do not belong in food and cause physical injury.
Unit: Food Safety & Family Wellness Page 2 of 3
Home Safety Protocol
FAMILY WELLNESS PLAN
Practical Steps to Keep Our Kitchens Safe
Case Study
4 Protecting At-Risk Family Members
SCENARIO: The Carter family consists of a mother, her 10-month-old baby, and her grandfather with a weak immune system. The mother discovers that the baby cereal they bought, along with a frozen lasagna they ate last night, have been recalled for containing dangerous Listeria bacteria.
Why are babies and immunocompromised elderly people in much greater danger from Listeria?
Immediate Steps: What should the mother do right now with the food? How should she clean her kitchen?
Household Budgets: How can the family get their money back or find a safe replacement food?
5 Kitchen Hygiene: Cleaning vs. Sanitizing
To stop bacterial recalls (like Listeria) from infecting your kitchen, you must know the difference between cleaning and sanitizing. Use foodsafety.gov to research and define both steps:
Step 1: Cleaning
.
Definition:
Step 2: Sanitizing
.
Definition:
Which process is strictly required to destroy active bacteria like Listeria on countertops?
Cleaning Sanitizing
Consumer Safety Evaluation
Evaluate how federal safety systems and proactive home kitchen care help families trust the food they buy at the store.
Unit: Food Safety & Family Wellness Page 3 of 3
Recall Radar Exit Ticket
Exit Ticket Check-In
KITCHEN SAFETY CHECK
Evaluating National Standard 14.3.4 • Safety & Policy Assessment
Quick Check
Student Name:
Date:
Class Period:
1 Matching Recall Classifications
Match each scenario to its correct official recall risk level. Write Class I, Class II, or Class III in the space:
1. Box of frozen chicken containing sharp metal shards. Class: _________________
2. Canned soup with slightly incorrect net-weight text. Class: _________________
3. Chocolate chips with peanut flour left off the label. Class: _________________
4. Yogurt cup containing traces of a mild treating mold. Class: _________________
2 Evaluating Severity
Read the household safety scenarios below. Circle the correct Recall Class based on the risk to a family's health:
Situation A
A major grocery brand recalls boxed frozen lasagna because it is contaminated with dangerous Salmonella bacteria.
Class I • Class II • Class III
Situation B
A salad dressing bottle uses the word "Cilantro" instead of "Coriander" but contains no active allergens or toxins.
Class I • Class II • Class III
3 Advocating for Family Safety
Imagine a family with very little extra money who discovers that the infant formula they just bought has been recalled because of suspected bacteria. Explain what advice you would give them to safely replace the formula without hurting their food budget or putting the baby in danger.
Food Safety & Family Wellness Unit • Kitchen Safety Check Score: _____ / 10
