WASHINGTON — A public health alert was issued for ready-to-eat pasta sauce labeled as pizza sauce, announced the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on Feb. 23. The agency is concerned the product contains anchovies and milk — known allergens — as well as ground beef and sulfites, none of which are declared on the label.
Because the products are no longer available for purchase, a recall was not issued, FSIS said.
The fully cooked, RTE pasta sauce was produced on Jan. 25 and shipped to retail locations in Oregon and Washington. The following is subject to the health alert:
- 16-oz tub containing “NEW SEASONS BRIGHT & FLAVORFUL HOMESTYLE PIZZA SAUCE with slow-simmered plum tomatoes” with a best if used by date of “3/26/23.”
The product does not bear a USDA establishment number or mark of inspection.
The manufacturer notified FSIS of the problem after it received a consumer complaint that meat was in the pizza sauce. The establishment determined that employees labeled a limited number of “Bolognese Pasta Sauce” packages as “Homestyle Pizza Sauce.”
FSIS said there have been no reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of the product.