USDA updates app to improve access to food recalls information

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has made changes to its FoodKeeper food recall information app. The agency announced in late August that the app will now allow users to receive automatic updates on food safety recalls from both the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The update can be downloaded from both the Google Play and iTunes stores. Users have the option to receive information on food safety recalls when they’re announced or to receive a daily or weekly report.

Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety Carmen Rottenberg said the updates are a great way for the public to stay informed.

“We want to make sure the valuable recall information FSIS and FDA publish is available to as many Americans as possible,” she said.

The FoodKeeper app was originally developed by FSIS in partnership with Cornell University and the Food Marketing Institute to help reduce food waste and share food storage methods.

The update to the app also adds instructional videos on proper handling and storage of food, and expands the list of food and beverage products from about 400 to more than 500 items.

For those that do not have access to a smartphone, the FoodKeeper app can also be accessed at FoodSafety.gov/FoodKeeper.