Product recall

A product recall is the removal or correction of a marketed product because it is defective, mislabeled, contaminated or otherwise poses a risk to health.

Recalls may be voluntary, initiated by the manufacturer after its own testing or consumer complaints, or requested or ordered by a regulator. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration classifies them by risk: Class I for products likely to cause serious harm or death, Class II for temporary or reversible harm, and Class III for violations unlikely to cause harm. A recall depends on traceability, meaning the maker can identify which lot numbers are affected, where they were shipped and how to notify buyers.

Hemp and cannabinoid products have been recalled for undeclared THC, contamination with mold or heavy metals, and label claims far from the tested content. Batch numbers and certificates of analysis exist in part so recalls can be narrow and fast rather than covering everything a company sells. Consumers can check recall notices on the FDA's website and report problems through its adverse-event channels.