Find the lot number first
Before you search, pick up the bottle. Look on the bottom, the side or the neck for a short code. It is often marked "Lot," "LOT" or "Batch." Next to it you may see an expiration or best-by date.
That code names the production run your bottle came from. Two bottles of the same product can have different lot codes. A recall often covers only some of them. So the brand name alone does not tell you much. The lot does.
Write down the brand, the exact product name, the count or size, the lot code and the date. A quick phone photo works too. If the code has rubbed off, keep going. Some notices do not use lot codes at all, as shown below.
Sources: FDA recall notice for Tony's Chocolonely, published April 2, 2025 (fda.gov), which lists a lot code and best-before date for each recalled item.
Search FDA's recall list
FDA keeps a page called Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts. It is a table of recent notices. Each row shows the date, the brand name, a product description, the product type, the reason for the recall and the company name.
Use the filter called Product Type and choose Dietary Supplements. That cuts out food, drug and device notices. Then scan for your brand name. On April 8, 2025, the page said its content was current as of that day. It also offers a download of the list as a spreadsheet, which helps if you want to search by word.
The page keeps notices for three years before they move to an archive. If your product is older, FDA points readers to its archive search. Type the product or company name and add the year.
Sources: FDA, Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts (fda.gov), page content current as of April 8, 2025.
Know what the page leaves out
A clean search does not prove a product is safe. FDA says the list is built from press releases and other public notices. It also says not all recalls have a press release or appear on the page.
FDA publishes a second list as well. The weekly Enforcement Report lists recalls after FDA has classified them. So if you cannot find a recall on the main page, the report is the next place to look.
FDA does not approve dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before they are sold. That is part of why recalls matter to buyers.
Sources: FDA, Additional Information about Recalls (fda.gov); FDA, Information for Consumers on Using Dietary Supplements (fda.gov).
Match the notice to your bottle
Open the notice that looks like your product. Read it slowly. Then compare each detail with your bottle: brand, product name, size, lot code and date.
The Tony's Chocolonely notice, posted April 2, 2025, shows how precise a notice can be. It named seven lots, gave a best-before date for each and added a UPC barcode number. It also said no other lot codes were included. A bottle with a different lot would not match.
Some supplement notices work differently. On February 20, 2025, One Source Nutrition recalled all lots of its Vitality capsules. The notice said the product had no lot numbers or expiration dates. It described the packaging instead. In a case like that, you match by product name and package, not by lot.
FDA's recall background page sorts recalls into three classes. Class I is the most serious. Class III is the least. The class tells you how much risk FDA sees. It does not change what the notice asks you to do. Follow the notice.
Sources: FDA recall notices for Tony's Chocolonely (April 2, 2025) and One Source Nutrition (February 20, 2025) (fda.gov); FDA, Recalls Background and Definitions (fda.gov).
If your product matches
Read the "what consumers should do" part of the notice. Notices tell you what to do with the product, such as stopping use and returning it for a refund. The notice also gives the company's phone number and email.
Look at the status, too. FDA marks a recall as terminated when it decides the company has made all reasonable efforts to remove the product. Recalls not marked terminated are ongoing or completed. If you still hold a matching bottle, the notice still applies to you.
FDA also asks people to report problems. If you think a supplement caused a serious reaction or illness, FDA says to stop using it and file a report through its Safety Reporting Portal. Give as much detail as you can, such as the product, the lot code and where you bought it. This guide is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about any health concern.
Sources: FDA, How to Report a Problem with Dietary Supplements (fda.gov), content current as of March 13, 2025; FDA, Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts (fda.gov), definition of a terminated recall.
A short checklist
Keep this list near your shelf. Read the lot code on the bottle. Open FDA's recall list and filter to Dietary Supplements. Search your brand. Open any notice that fits. Match the product name, size, lot and date. Follow the steps in the notice. If nothing turns up, remember the list is not complete, and check the company's own website too.
Do this when you buy a new bottle, and again every few months. It costs little time. It also builds a habit of checking before you open a bottle.
Sources: U.S. Food and Drug Administration pages at fda.gov: Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts; Additional Information about Recalls; Recalls Background and Definitions; How to Report a Problem with Dietary Supplements; recall notices dated February 20 and April 2, 2025.