How to File an FDA Food Safety Complaint

When to file an FDA complaint

File an FDA complaint when you find a physical contaminant in a packaged food product (glass, metal, plastic, insects), when you suspect a product made you ill and it's a packaged or processed food, when you find a product that is clearly mislabeled or contains undisclosed ingredients, or when you notice a potential safety issue in a food facility.

How to submit a complaint

File through the FDA's Safety Reporting Portal (SafetyReporting.hhs.gov) for voluntary consumer reports, or call the FDA consumer complaint coordinator in your region. For restaurant-related complaints, contact your local health department directly — the FDA doesn't regulate individual restaurants. When filing, include the product name, brand, lot number, purchase location, and a clear description of the issue.

What happens after you file

FDA complaint coordinators review submissions and may contact you for more information or to request the product sample. Complaints are tracked in the FDA's database and can trigger investigations if multiple reports point to the same product or facility. You may not always receive direct follow-up, but your report contributes to the FDA's surveillance data.

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