Last updated: July 9, 2026
Accuracy is the whole point of what we do. Food Poisoning News reports on food recalls, foodborne-illness outbreaks, and food-safety science, and readers act on that information. When we get something wrong, we fix it openly and we tell you what changed. This page explains how we handle corrections, clarifications, updates, and (in rare cases) retractions, and how you can ask us to correct an error.
Our commitment
We correct our mistakes promptly and transparently. We do not make significant factual changes silently. When we correct an article, we tell readers what was wrong and what is now correct, so the record is clear rather than quietly rewritten.
This reflects a basic principle of accountable journalism: acknowledge mistakes, correct them promptly and prominently, and explain corrections and clarifications carefully and clearly.
The kinds of changes we make
Not every change to an article is a correction. We use four distinct labels so you can tell what happened and why.
Correction
A correction fixes a factual error, for example a wrong product name, lot or batch number, “best by” date, affected states, or illness count. A correction means we published something that was not accurate, and we have now made it accurate.
Clarification
A clarification addresses wording that was accurate but could be misread. The underlying facts were right. We rephrase or add context so the meaning is clearer and less likely to be misunderstood.
Update to a developing story
An update adds new information to a recall or outbreak story that is still unfolding. Agencies frequently expand recalls, add products, revise case counts, or announce a cause days or weeks after the first notice. An update is not a correction. It reflects new developments, not a mistake on our part.
Retraction
In the rare case that an article is fundamentally inaccurate and cannot be supported, we retract it. When we retract, we keep a note in its place explaining what was wrong and why the article was withdrawn, rather than making it disappear without explanation.
How we label a correction
When we correct or clarify an article, we add a dated note to that article describing the change. The note states the date of the change and what changed (what the article originally said and what it now says). For fast-moving recall and outbreak coverage, the note may include the time as well.
Because we append these notes rather than editing in silence, the correction stays visible on the article itself. Here is the format we use:
Correction, July 9, 2026: This article originally listed the wrong lot number for the recalled product. The correct lot number is [X]. We have updated the article and regret the error.
Health-critical corrections come first
Some errors matter more than others because readers rely on them to protect their health. When an error concerns a recall or an active outbreak (a product identifier, an affected date range, the states or provinces involved, the health risk, or what a reader should do), we treat correcting it as our highest priority and address it as quickly as we can, ahead of routine edits. If you flag an error of this kind, please say so, because it changes how urgently we act.
We also encourage readers to confirm current recall and outbreak status directly with the responsible agency (the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the Canadian Food Inspection Agency), because those facts can change after we publish.
How to request a correction
If you believe we published an error, tell us. Please use our contact page and include:
- a link to the article,
- the specific statement you believe is wrong, and
- if you have it, the correct information and a source we can check.
We review every correction request we receive, and we aim to respond promptly. Requests that involve recall or outbreak safety information are moved to the front of the line.
Requests to take down or unpublish an article
Our default is to correct the record, not erase it. When something is wrong, the accountable fix is to fix it in public, so we correct or clarify rather than quietly deleting or unpublishing an article. We generally do not remove accurate, properly sourced reporting on request.
We consider unpublishing only in narrow circumstances, for example when the law requires it, when leaving material up would create a genuine safety or privacy risk to an identifiable person, or to comply with a valid legal order. Even then, we prefer to update or annotate the article where we can, so the record remains honest.
A single corrections page (in progress)
We are establishing a single page that lists our published corrections in one place, so readers can see them collectively. Until that page is live, corrections are noted on the corrected article itself, as described above, and acknowledged through the contact route.
Related policies
How we source and verify our reporting before publishing is described in our Sourcing & Fact-Checking Policy, and the principles behind our work are set out in our Editorial Standards & Ethics Policy.
Contact us
To report an error or ask about a correction, reach our newsroom through our contact page.
Last updated: July 9, 2026