Company announces phone alert system for food recalls

BellTower Technologies LLC, a Dallas-based emergency notification service, has launched a free program that sends alerts about food recalls to consumers by phone.

“If FoodAlert.org helps save even one life, we will consider the project a success,” said Tim Klein, a founding partner of BellTower Technologies. “Consumers typically hear about major food safety alerts through the news media, sometimes days or weeks after they are announced. We think that’s too slow.”

To register, visit http://www.FoodAlert.org and register a telephone number to receive automated notices when a major food recall is issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture or other government agency.

The service will place the calls within hours of a recall being issued.

BellTower Technologies has provided a similar service for a fee to restaurants and other food service companies since 2006. The alert system for consumers is free.

Consumers also can enroll by phone by calling 888-FOODALERT (888-366-3253) from the phone number they wish to register.

E-mail notifications about food recalls by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service are available through that agency.