# FDA Product Recalls & Enforcement Notices (`springlike_meadowland/fda-product-recalls-scraper`) Actor

Export FDA food, drug, and device enforcement reports with recall numbers, firms, reasons, classifications, dates, distribution details, and source links. Filter by report date, keyword, firm state, or classification.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/springlike\_meadowland/fda-product-recalls-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Akshay Aggarwal](https://apify.com/springlike_meadowland) (community)
- **Categories:** Automation
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $1.00 / 1,000 saved recall reports

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## FDA Product Recalls & Enforcement Notices

Find and export FDA enforcement report records for food, drugs, and medical devices. Choose product types, a report date range, a keyword, a recalling firm state, or an FDA classification. Each dataset row keeps the FDA recall number and a link back to its openFDA source query.

### Quick start

Use the default input for a 10-record sample across the three sources. For a focused search:

```json
{
  "sourceTypes": ["food", "drug", "device"],
  "dateFrom": "2026-01-01",
  "dateTo": "2026-09-23",
  "classification": "Class I",
  "maxRecalls": 9
}
```

The date filters use the **FDA enforcement report date**, which can be later than the date a recall began. `state` filters the recalling firm's state, not the places where a product was distributed. `keyword` searches the openFDA record text. The three sources are queried in turn so small previews can include multiple product types when matches are available.

### Output

The dataset contains one row per saved enforcement report. A row includes `source_type`, `record_id`, `recall_number`, `event_id` when available, product and firm descriptions, recall reason, classification, status, initiation and report dates, distribution pattern, code information, and `source_url`. Dates retain openFDA's `YYYYMMDD` format. Fields absent from a source record are omitted.

For example, an openFDA device report can produce this abbreviated row:

```json
{
  "source_type": "device",
  "record_id": "device:Z-2372-2023:92660",
  "recall_number": "Z-2372-2023",
  "event_id": "92660",
  "recalling_firm": "Covidien LP",
  "classification": "Class I",
  "status": "Ongoing",
  "report_date": "20230823",
  "source_url": "https://api.fda.gov/device/enforcement.json?search=recall_number%3A%22Z-2372-2023%22+AND+event_id%3A%2292660%22"
}
```

The key-value-store `OUTPUT` summary reports fetched, saved, and skipped counts; per-source reported totals and last update dates; errors; and whether the record cap or charge limit ended the run. The dataset can contain valid partial results if a source fails or a limit is reached. Error and summary records are never added to the result dataset.

### Scope and billing

Sources are the public [food](https://open.fda.gov/apis/food/enforcement/), [drug](https://open.fda.gov/apis/drug/enforcement/), and [device](https://open.fda.gov/apis/device/enforcement/) enforcement report APIs. `maxRecalls` is a cap across all selected sources, from 1 to 1,000; the default is 10. The Actor keeps separate FDA recall numbers and event IDs and does not combine records by similar product names. Older reports can omit fields, and FDA publication can lag the recall initiation date. This is an export of records available through these endpoints, not a comprehensive live recall alert or a safety determination.

When a per-result price is enabled on the Actor, the billing unit is **one saved recall row**. Rows already saved in a partial run may be billable; skipped duplicates, errors, and the `OUTPUT` summary are not result rows. Check the Actor's current pricing before running.

# Actor input Schema

## `sourceTypes` (type: `array`):

Choose one or more openFDA enforcement datasets: food, drug, and device. Defaults to all three.

## `dateFrom` (type: `string`):

Optional earliest FDA enforcement report date, inclusive, in YYYY-MM-DD format. Filters report date, not recall initiation date.

## `dateTo` (type: `string`):

Optional latest FDA enforcement report date, inclusive, in YYYY-MM-DD format.

## `keyword` (type: `string`):

Optional plain keyword or phrase searched across openFDA record fields; up to 80 letters, digits, spaces, or hyphens.

## `state` (type: `string`):

Optional two-letter US state abbreviation for the recalling firm's location. This does not filter distribution areas.

## `classification` (type: `string`):

Optional Class I, Class II, or Class III enforcement classification.

## `maxRecalls` (type: `integer`):

Maximum saved records across all chosen sources, 1–1,000. The default 10 is a small preview; results may be partial when the cap or run charge limit is reached.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "sourceTypes": [
    "food",
    "drug",
    "device"
  ],
  "maxRecalls": 10
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

One row per saved openFDA enforcement report.

## `summary` (type: `string`):

Fetched, saved, and skipped counts by source, with limits and any errors.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("springlike_meadowland/fda-product-recalls-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("springlike_meadowland/fda-product-recalls-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{}' |
apify call springlike_meadowland/fda-product-recalls-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,springlike_meadowland/fda-product-recalls-scraper"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/lhyhfZG1r9qakpgbR/builds/s8lMYJw3vfosN5lCv/openapi.json