Recall Coordinator

A recall coordinator is the person designated by a food business to organize and manage its response when a food product or ingredient is subject to a recall or withdrawal. The coordinator ensures affected stock is identified, isolated and accounted for, required notifications are made and records are maintained. The role may be assigned to a food-safety manager, operations manager or another trained employee.

Responsibilities of a recall coordinator

• Activate the recall procedure: confirm the recall notice and identify the products, lot codes, dates and affected locations.
• Stop use and sale: instruct staff to remove affected products from storage, preparation areas, menus and distribution.
• Quarantine stock: clearly mark and segregate affected product so it cannot be used accidentally.
• Trace product: use purchasing, receiving, batch and inventory records to identify quantities received, used, transferred, sold or remaining.
• Communicate: contact management, suppliers, customers, distributors or authorities as required by the recall instructions and applicable regulations.
• Document actions: record quantities, locations, notifications, product disposition and follow-up checks.
• Verify effectiveness: confirm that all affected product has been located or accounted for and that staff have followed the instructions.

Example in a restaurant

If a supplier recalls a particular lot of flour, the recall coordinator checks receiving and inventory records, identifies any batches of food made with the flour, stops further use, isolates remaining stock and follows the supplier and regulatory instructions for product disposition and notification.

Recall coordinator versus recall team

The recall coordinator leads and tracks the response. A recall team may include purchasing, kitchen management, operations, communications and other staff who carry out specific tasks across locations.

Chef’s tip: keep supplier contacts and traceability records accessible, and test the recall procedure periodically. A coordinator can act quickly only if the business can identify its products and lots.