AMERICAN CANYON, Calif. (September 26, 2026): The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that G. L. Mezzetta Inc. is recalling one lot of Mezzetta Golden Greek Peperoncini Medium Heat because a jar may contain a pest contaminant. Specifically, the company initiated the voluntary recall after becoming aware of a social media video showing the potential contaminant.
Mezzetta recall: quick summary
G. L. Mezzetta Inc. recalled 32 oz. jars of Mezzetta Golden Greek Peperoncini Medium Heat from lot 720106 after a social media video showed a potential pest contaminant in a jar. In particular, the affected product carries SKU 10106328. In response, Mezzetta identified customers who received the recalled lot and is working with them to remove the product from sale. So far, the company has received no reports of illness or injury.
Official recall details
- Recall announcement date: September 26, 2026
- FDA publication date: September 26, 2026
- Announced by: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- Company: G. L. Mezzetta Inc.
- Brand: Mezzetta
- Product: Golden Greek Peperoncini Medium Heat
- Issue: Potential pest contaminant in a jar
- Package size: 32 oz.
- SKU: 10106328
- Lot code: 720106
- Distribution: The company identified customers who received product from the recalled lot but did not specify states or retailers in the recall announcement.
- Reported illnesses or injuries: None reported
- Consumer action: Do not consume the affected product and contact Mezzetta for assistance.
- Consumer contact: [email protected]
Want to know more about what happened? Keep reading.
What happened?
G. L. Mezzetta Inc. initiated the voluntary recall after learning about a video circulating on social media that showed a potential pest contaminant in a 32 oz. jar of Golden Greek Peperoncini Medium Heat. In response, the company contacted the consumer involved and moved to investigate the report.
Specifically, the recall covers only lot 720106 with SKU 10106328. Additionally, Mezzetta said its production and distribution records allowed the company to identify customers that received product from the affected lot.
As a result, the company is working directly with those customers to isolate and remove affected jars from sale. However, the recall announcement does not identify the retailers, states, or other geographic areas where the product was distributed.
Meanwhile, Mezzetta requested the product involved in the original consumer report so it could examine the jar. In addition, the company is reviewing relevant production, sanitation, and food safety records as part of its investigation. So far, no illnesses or injuries have been reported.
Affected products
Brand | Product | Size | SKU | Lot code | Issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mezzetta | Golden Greek Peperoncini Medium Heat | 32 oz. | 10106328 | 720106 | Potential pest contaminant in jar |
What caused the issue?
According to the FDA-posted announcement, a social media video showing a potential pest contaminant in a jar triggered the recall. Mezzetta then contacted the consumer and began investigating the report.
However, the announcement does not explain how the potential contaminant entered the jar or identify a confirmed root cause. The company said it requested the original product for examination and is reviewing its production, sanitation, and food safety records.
Mezzetta also said its facilities maintain programs covering sanitation, pest control, product quality, and traceability. According to the company, its Quality Management System undergoes audits under the Safe Quality Food program, and its facility uses a HACCP plan to identify and control potential food safety hazards.
Documentation Insight
“When a consumer complaint triggers an investigation, complete and organized records help teams document what was reported, what they reviewed, and what actions they took in response,” said Sweet Carpio, Document Management Specialist at Source86.
“Maintaining complaint records, investigation findings, and corrective actions in a consistent format creates a clearer history of the event and helps teams follow up on recurring issues or verify that identified problems have been addressed.”
Here’s what you should do
Consumers who have Mezzetta Golden Greek Peperoncini Medium Heat should:
- Do not consume the affected product.
- Check for a 32 oz. jar of Golden Greek Peperoncini Medium Heat.
- Look for SKU 10106328.
- Check the product for lot code 720106.
- Contact Mezzetta at [email protected] for assistance.
- Keep in mind that, based on the information currently available, no other Mezzetta products or lots are included in the recall.
Behind the brand
Mezzetta traces its history to 1935, when Giuseppe Mezzetta opened a storefront in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood selling Mediterranean staples, including peppers and olives. Since then, the family-owned company has remained under Mezzetta family leadership and is now led by its fourth generation.
Today, the company offers olives, peppers, pickled vegetables, pasta sauces, marinades, hot sauces, and other specialty foods. In addition, Mezzetta says it sources ingredients globally and jars its products at its facility in Napa Valley, California.
Other relevant recalls
- Fontanini Foods Recalls Pork Sausage Links Over Possible Plastic Contamination
- So Delicious Dairy Free Recalls Salted Caramel Cluster Frozen Dessert Over Foreign Material
- Phire in the Hole Hot Sauces Face Connecticut Cease-and-Desist Over Potential Botulism Risk
Regulatory context
Pest prevention forms part of the sanitation controls required in food manufacturing environments. In particular, federal current good manufacturing practice requirements state that pests must not be allowed in any area of a food plant and require effective measures to exclude them from manufacturing, processing, packing, and holding areas.
For manufacturers, Co-Manufacturers, Co-Packers, and Private Label businesses, effective pest management works alongside sanitation, facility maintenance, monitoring, documentation, and traceability. Moreover, these systems can support investigations when a consumer complaint raises concerns about a packaged product.
In this case, Mezzetta said its records allowed it to identify the customers that received the affected lot. As a result, that level of traceability can help businesses narrow recall scope and remove affected inventory without unnecessarily expanding the action to unrelated products.
Ensuring safe eats
Potential pest contamination highlights the importance of sanitation, pest management, complaint investigation, and traceability throughout food production. In particular, when consumers report an unexpected contaminant, detailed records can help companies investigate the concern and identify affected inventory quickly.
To reduce these risks, food manufacturers can strengthen preventive programs by routinely reviewing sanitation and pest control records, documenting findings, and maintaining lot-level production and distribution data. Meanwhile, consumers should check their Mezzetta Golden Greek Peperoncini and avoid consuming jars from the recalled lot.
Jarred peppers are packed from raw produce, so pest control at the grower and packer level matters as much as the jar itself; Source86 reviews pest-management records when qualifying vegetable packers. Sourcing pickled or jarred vegetables? Ask us how we vet packers.
