- Distributed to Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, New York, others
- They contain soy, a potentially serious allergen, even though this was not stated on the label
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More than 3,000 kilos of frozen meat pizzas distributed in the north of the country have been recalled because they contain a potentially deadly allergen.
Pizzas from Vermont-based food manufacturer 802 VT Frozen distributed pizzas to grocery stores, including Walmart, that contained soy even though they were not labeled as such, potentially putting many consumers at risk of anaphylaxis.
The pizzas were sent to grocery stores in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.
People who purchased them are encouraged to throw away pizzas with a best-before date between April 25, 2024 and April 25, 2025 or return them for a refund.
Soy is a common food allergy that mainly affects children. Eating it can cause symptoms such as hives, vomiting, wheezing and diarrhea or, rarely, anaphylaxis, which is a potentially life-threatening reaction.
The boxes of pizzas affected by the recall will be stamped “EST. 46308′ within the USDA mark of approval
It is estimated that approximately 50 million Americans have some form of food allergy, and soy allergies occur in approximately 0.4 percent of children.
Most will outgrow the allergy, but some, although it is not known how many, will develop the allergy into adulthood.
A report from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology found that 45 percent of people develop at least one food allergy after the age of 17.
802 VT Frozen pizzas are available in 17.8 oz. cardboard box with “802 VT Frozen MEAT!!! CRISPY WOOD-FIRED CRUST HAND MADE PIZZA” on the front.
The boxes of pizzas affected by the recall will be stamped “EST. 46308′ within the USDA mark of approval.
The mislabeled pizzas were discovered by the Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), which during routine verification activities discovered that the product contained soy, despite the label not containing the ingredient.
According to the USDA: ‘There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions resulting from the consumption of this product. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.”
Although no illnesses or allergic reactions linked to the pizzas have been reported, the mislabeling could erode public confidence.
And while recalls indicate that the food safety system is working, they come long after many of the recalled products have been purchased. Additionally, many people may not hear about the recall unless they are glued to the news or press releases from the FDA or USDA.
More than 300 food recalls occurred in 2023, nearly half of which were caused by undisclosed allergens on packaging, such as nuts, sesame and wheat.
These are the highest levels the US has recorded since the start of the pandemic. Contaminated or incorrectly labeled food resulted in six deaths and more than 1,100 illnesses that year.