Whole Foods Recalling Frozen Pork Pepperoni Pizzas For Masquerading As Beef Pepperoni Pizzas In New England

Labels are very important when it comes to food, considering most of us do not have X-ray vision that allows us to scan products with our eyes and know exactly what ingredients those items contain. That’s why Whole Foods is recalling a bunch of frozen pizzas on the East Coast: some pies labeled as containing “uncured beef pepperoni” are actually covered in pork pepperoni.

Whole Foods, along with North Atlantic Kitchens out of Everett, MA is recalling about 73,898 pounds of pepperoni pizza products due to misbranding, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced.

The problem lies in the product’s label, which says it’s topped with uncured beef pepperoni. Bad news for people who eat beef but not pork, however, as the pizzas have undeclared, uncured pork pepperoni instead. That’s a potential issue for folks who choose not to eat pork or have a sensitivity or intolerance to it.

FSIS discovered the mixup during a label review at Whole Foods, after a change in ingredient suppliers.

The pizzas were produced Jan. 5, 2015, through Jan. 22, 2016, and include the following products [PDF]:

• 10-oz. vacuum-sealed packages of “WHOLE FOODS MARKETS, PIZZA, PEPPERONI, 8”.
• 19-oz. vacuum-sealed packages of “WHOLE FOODS MARKETS, PIZZA, PEPPERONI, 12”.

To check if your pizza is included, look for the establishment number “EST. 20234” inside the USDA mark of inspection, and sell-by dates of Jan. 12, 2015 through Jan. 30, 2016 printed on the packaging.

The pizzas were shipped for wholesale and retail sale in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island.

So far there haven’t been any confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to eating the pizzas, but if you’re concerned, contact a healthcare provider.

Should you find one of the recalled items in your freezer, the USDA is urging you not to consume them and either throw them away or return them to the place of purchase.

Questions about the recall? Contact Whole Foods at (512) 477-5566 ext. 20060 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, CST.

by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist