A limited lot of Mezzetta Golden Greek Peperoncini sold in the United States has been voluntarily recalled because a jar may contain a pest-related foreign object. The recall does not cover every Mezzetta product or every jar of peperoncini. It applies to the 32-ounce Golden Greek Peperoncini, Medium Heat with SKU 10106328 and lot 720106.
G. L. Mezzetta Inc. said it became aware of a social-media video showing a potential pest contaminant, contacted the consumer, began investigating, and initiated the recall. No illnesses or injuries had been reported as of the company’s September 26, 2026 announcement. That does not mean consumers should test or taste a matching jar. If all identifying details match, stop using the product and contact the company for assistance. This guide explains exactly what to check, what to do if the jar was opened or served, how to verify updates, and how to avoid misinformation.
Key takeaways
- Recalled product: Mezzetta GOLDEN GREEK PEPERONCINI MEDIUM HEAT, 32 oz.
- Identifiers: SKU 10106328 and lot 720106. The product name, size, SKU, and lot should all match.
- Reason: The jar may contain a foreign object described in the notice as a pest contaminant. The public announcement does not identify a confirmed species or explain how it entered the jar.
- Reported harm: The company said it had received no reports of illness or injury as of September 26, 2026.
- What to do: Do not eat a matching product. Do not mix it into other food. Contact CustomerSupport@Mezzetta.com for assistance and current handling instructions.
- Other products: Based on information available in the announcement, no other Mezzetta products or lots are included.
- Verify: Recheck the FDA recall notice for changes before returning or disposing of the jar.
What happened
Mezzetta reported that it learned of a circulating video that appeared to show a potential pest contaminant in a 32-ounce jar of Golden Greek Peperoncini, Medium Heat. The company contacted the consumer, sought to retrieve and examine the reported product, and began reviewing production, sanitation, and food-safety records. It then used production and distribution records to identify affected customers and asked them to isolate and remove the specified lot from sale.
The FDA page describes the reason as a product that “may contain foreign objects such as Pest contaminant in jar.” The word may matters. The public notice does not establish the exact nature of the object, the point at which it entered the container, or the number of jars actually affected. It would be inaccurate to turn an unconfirmed image into a claim about a particular insect, toxin, or microbial outbreak.
The scope announced on September 26 is narrow: one product size and one lot. The listed product is Mezzetta Golden Greek Peperoncini, Medium Heat in a 32-ounce jar, SKU 10106328, lot 720106. Other sizes, flavors, and lots are not included in the published notice. The scope can change if an investigation produces new evidence, so a current FDA page is more reliable than a screenshot saved earlier.
A voluntary recall does not mean the concern is trivial, and an FDA posting is not an endorsement of the company or product. FDA states that it posts company recall announcements as a public service. For a consumer, the useful question is not whether every item under the brand is unsafe. It is whether the product in hand matches every identifier in the notice.
Who may be affected
People who bought the specified 32-ounce jar in the United States may be affected, as may anyone who was served the product at a restaurant, party, workplace, or family gathering. The public announcement does not provide a detailed retail distribution list. Mezzetta says its records allow it to identify customers that received the lot and that it is working with those customers to remove it. Do not decide that a jar is included or excluded solely because of the state or store where it was purchased.
A large jar may also be transferred into a smaller container or used in salads, sandwiches, pizza, relishes, or antipasto. If the original container is gone, the lot can be difficult to verify. A receipt, online order history, shopping date, or photo of the original label may help a retailer or the manufacturer investigate. Do not taste an unidentified leftover to determine whether it seems normal.
This is not a notice that applies only to people at higher risk from foodborne germs. The stated issue is a possible foreign object, so the instruction not to consume a matching product applies to everyone. A normal appearance, smell, or taste does not override a matching lot number. Conversely, a clearly different lot is not part of this recall based on the current announcement.
Four details to check on the jar
- Brand and product: Confirm that it is Mezzetta Golden Greek Peperoncini, Medium Heat.
- Package size: Confirm that the jar is 32 ounces. A similar label on a different size does not match this notice.
- SKU: Look for 10106328.
- Lot: Look for 720106. Examine ink printing around the jar and lid in good light; there is no need to open it.
If the label is damaged or the code is unreadable, do not guess. Photograph the product and contact Mezzetta or the retailer for help identifying it. Keep a suspected jar away from normal pantry items, children, and pets while waiting for instructions so that no one uses it by mistake.
What to do now
1. Stop eating and cooking with a matching product
If lot 720106 matches, do not sample one pepper, sniff the open jar, or test whether it seems safe. Rinsing the peppers, boiling them, or mixing them into another sauce is not an approved way to make a recalled item safe. Keep the contents in the original container and tell other people in the household or workplace not to use it.
2. Document the identifying information
Without opening the jar, photograph the front label, package size, SKU, lot code, and receipt if available. Save the order number and purchase date for an online order. These records can help with verification and a refund, but avoid posting an image that exposes your address, phone number, or order details on social media.
3. Ask the manufacturer for current instructions
The company announcement tells consumers who believe they have the 32-ounce product from lot 720106 not to consume it and to email CustomerSupport@Mezzetta.com for assistance. Include the product name, size, SKU, lot, store, and purchase date. Do not send account passwords, one-time codes, or a full payment-card number. Follow the latest return, refund, or disposal instructions provided by the manufacturer or retailer.
4. Separate food and surfaces if the jar was opened
If the peppers were added to a salad, sandwich, pizza, or another dish, do not simply pick them out and eat the rest. Stop serving the combined food. Separate utensils, tongs, cutting boards, bowls, and counter areas that contacted the product and wash them thoroughly with hot, soapy water. FoodSafety.gov advises cleaning contact surfaces after a recalled food has been prepared and, when appropriate, sanitizing according to official instructions and allowing items to air-dry.
5. Monitor your health if you already ate it
No illness or injury had been reported when the announcement was issued, and the notice does not list a specific syndrome to watch for. A person without symptoms does not need to assume that harm occurred. However, anyone who believes they swallowed a foreign object, was injured, or develops concerning symptoms should tell a healthcare professional the product name and recall details. Severe pain, repeated vomiting, bleeding, breathing difficulty, confusion, or another apparent emergency calls for immediate medical help rather than an ordinary customer-service inquiry.
6. Report a product or health problem through an official channel
If you found an object in a jar or experienced a health problem, you can notify the company and use the FDA’s SmartHub to reach the appropriate reporting form or phone number. FDA also lists 1-888-INFO-FDA for people who cannot use SmartHub. Preserve photos, purchase information, the time symptoms began, and relevant medical records. Before washing, altering, or discarding a product that may be useful to an investigation, ask the responsible contact how it should be stored.
What not to do
- Do not rely on appearance: A jar that looks normal can still match the recalled lot.
- Do not rinse or heat it for reuse: The FDA notice and company announcement do not approve those steps as a remedy.
- Do not transfer it: Moving the contents destroys traceability and increases the chance of accidental use.
- Do not discard every product from the brand: The current recall is limited to a specific product, size, SKU, and lot.
- Do not treat a viral image as a laboratory conclusion: The precise identity and route of the possible contaminant remain under investigation.
- Do not overshare financial information: A person offering a refund should not need your password, security code, or complete card number.
How to verify the recall officially
Start with the FDA’s individual recall notice. Confirm that both the company announcement date and FDA publication date are September 26, 2026. The product description should identify Golden Greek Peperoncini, Medium Heat, and the body of the notice should list the 32-ounce size, SKU 10106328, and lot 720106. The FDA’s main recall list provides a second place to compare the date, brand, product type, and reason.
FDA notes that not every recall appears as a press release on the public list. Recheck the individual notice, the manufacturer’s response, and retailer instructions if you act later. A forwarded image that omits the lot number is not enough to identify your jar. Verify that the address belongs to fda.gov, and favor agency pages over sponsored search results or copy-and-paste posts.
FoodSafety.gov explains that food recalls are specific: the identifying details in a notice must match before a product is considered part of that recall. In this case, the size, SKU, and lot are the decisive details. When they match, do not open or consume the item; follow the notice and the company’s current return or disposal instructions.
Frequently asked questions
Are all Mezzetta peperoncini products recalled?
No. The published recall is limited to Golden Greek Peperoncini, Medium Heat in a 32-ounce jar, SKU 10106328, lot 720106. The company says no other Mezzetta products or lots are included based on current information.
Can I eat it if the jar looks normal?
Not if the identifiers match. Recall status is determined by the product information, not by whether a consumer can see something unusual. Stop using a matching jar and contact the company.
Where is the lot number?
Look for an ink-printed production code on or near the jar and lid. If it is missing, damaged, or unclear, keep the jar closed and ask the manufacturer or retailer for help identifying it.
I ate some. Do I need medical care?
No illness or injury had been reported as of the announcement, and no product-specific symptom list was provided. If you feel well, stop using the product and monitor your condition. If you suspect that you swallowed a foreign object or have pain, vomiting, bleeding, breathing trouble, or another serious symptom, seek prompt medical advice or emergency care.
Will rinsing the peppers make them safe?
No. Washing, heating, or removing a visible object is not the remedy described by the company or FDA. Do not consume a matching product; request return or disposal instructions.
Can I contact the company without a receipt?
The announcement does not say that a receipt is required to ask for assistance. Prepare the product name, size, SKU, lot, retailer, and approximate purchase date. The company or store can tell you what documentation is needed for its process.
If I mixed it into food, can I remove just the peppers?
Do not do that. Avoid eating the combined dish. Thoroughly wash utensils and food-contact surfaces with hot, soapy water and follow official food-safety cleanup guidance.
Could the recall expand?
Yes. Mezzetta says the investigation is continuing and that it will update the page if the recall scope or consumer guidance changes. Recheck the current FDA notice rather than relying on an old screenshot.
Official sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: G. L. Mezzetta Inc. Announces Recall of Golden Greek Peperoncini, Medium Heat
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts
- FoodSafety.gov: Recalls and Outbreaks — product matching, return, disposal, and cleanup guidance
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Consumer complaint and SmartHub reporting information
By the Smartor Editorial Team. This article provides general consumer-safety information. Consult a healthcare professional about symptoms or treatment, and follow the latest FDA and manufacturer notices for recall scope and product handling.