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ConsumerSun

Our Review Process

How ConsumerSun Checks and Publishes Recalls

Last updated: October 26, 2026

ConsumerSun is a recall record service, not a product testing service. This page explains how an official recall record becomes a ConsumerSun page, how our guides are checked, and how changes are handled.

Start with the agency record

Most records begin with an official feed or notice from one of these agencies:

  • The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for consumer products.
  • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for food, medicine, medical devices, biologics, and related products.
  • The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for vehicles, tires, child restraints, and vehicle equipment.

For meat, poultry, and eggs, ConsumerSun points readers to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA FSIS) instead of presenting that agency's records as our own.

The agency notice is the controlling source. We preserve the identity of the recalling company, the product description, the hazard or reason, the classification when the agency gives one, the affected quantity when it is published, the distribution information, and the remedy.

Same-day FDA announcements

FDA company announcements can appear before the matching structured enforcement record. ConsumerSun may capture an announcement on the day it is published and turn it into a record with the same core fields.

That early record is not treated as a rumor, and it is not left separate when better data arrives. When the matching enforcement record becomes available, we reconcile the two records so the recall is shown once, with the structured record supporting or updating the announcement information.

Normalization without changing the source

Agency systems use different formats and field names. We normalize those records into a common structure so readers can search and compare them.

Normalization does not change the agency's finding. If a field is missing from the source, we do not invent it. If a source gives an approximate quantity, a range, or no quantity, the page reflects that limit.

The full dataset is published at https://consumersun.com/data/recalls.json. Its OpenAPI description is at https://consumersun.com/data/openapi.json.

Quantities are reported with their denominators

A total number of affected units can mislead if many recalls never publish a quantity. When ConsumerSun reports a weekly total, we also report how many recalls published a quantity.

For example, the Recall Index reports total units across the recalls that reported units, not across every recall in the week. A total built this way is a floor, not a claim that unreported recalls affected no products.

The official notice stays attached

Each recall links to the official agency notice whenever one is available. Our summary is a guide to the record. The agency notice controls the product identifiers, hazard, remedy, dates, and instructions.

Manufacturer instructions may add practical steps, such as how to request a refund, repair, or replacement. If manufacturer information differs from the agency notice, readers should follow the agency notice and contact the manufacturer for clarification.

How guides are checked

A ConsumerSun guide begins with the official records it discusses. We check product names, model information, dates, classifications, quantities, and remedies against those records before publication.

Guides are written and edited under Michael Gonzales, Founder & Editor. AI tools are used for research support and drafting, and a person edits every article before it is published.

We do not test products in a laboratory. We do not present recall data as medical, legal, financial, or other professional advice. A guide may explain what an agency announced, but it cannot decide what a particular reader should do about a medication or another health product. Readers should talk to a doctor or pharmacist about those decisions.

Dating and corrections

Each article shows its publication date and, when materially revised, its last updated date. Recall pages show when their underlying data was pulled or updated when that information is available.

Agencies correct and expand records. When an official record changes, we update our record. If we introduced an error, we correct it and note the change.

To report an error, email [email protected]. Please include the ConsumerSun page address and a link to the official record when you have one.