Meat and poultry establishments often learn very hard lessons when going through a recall. Most recalls are high-pressure situations where the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) expects decisions to be made very quickly. Mistakes made in these pressure-cooker situations can be costly and often not reversible. Below are a few common examples of mistakes establishments make during a recall situation.
The first mistake many establishments make in recall situations is not consulting with outside regulatory experts in timely manner. Too often, companies wait until the very last moment — often right before the FSIS Recall Committee’s call with the company — to request the assistance of an outside regulatory expert. Even if the regulatory expert is able to get up to speed on the facts to adequately represent the company’s interests, it may be too late, as in most cases the FSIS Recall Committee has already made its decision regarding the need for a recall. If an establishment believes a recall is unnecessary or the scope should be limited, and it believes it needs assistance to make these arguments to the agency, it is imperative for the regulatory experts to be engaged as early as possible in the process. This ensures the regulatory expert has the maximum time to work with the establishment to develop the necessary arguments and present them to the committee for consideration before members decide on a recommendation.