If You Have This Pizza in Your Freezer, Don't Eat It, Officials Warn
Almost 20,000 pounds of pizza have been recalled, the USDA announced.
There's no shame in it: A staple meal in homes across the country is a good ol' frozen pizza. These pies are great in a pinch if you need a last-minute dinner, or something quick and easy to heat up when the kids are hungry after school. We all have our preferred crusts, toppings, and styles, and you probably have a favorite brand that you pick up at the grocery store. But the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) just issued a warning about one brand you'll want to stay away from. Read on to find out which frozen pizzas the agency is urging consumers not to eat.
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This pizza recall isn't an isolated incident.
Frozen pizzas appear to be under scrutiny, as the FSIS announced on July 15 that Ready Dough Pizza Inc., of Hialeah, Florida, had recalled varieties of frozen Cuban-style pizza items produced between Jan. 12, 2022, and July 13, 2022. The products lacked the USDA mark of inspection and had either incorrect ingredient labels or no label at all, the agency said.
On July 21, the FSIS then expanded the recall to include additional pizza products—bringing the total to three—and noted that some had also been shipped to retail locations in Delaware and Pennsylvania, after the original notice stated that products had been shipped within Florida.
The total adjusted poundage was decreased from 10,584 pounds to 6,595 pounds, affecting 14-ounce box packages containing "Pizza Cubana Cuban Style Pepperoni Pizza," and 13-ounce box packages containing "Pizza Cubana Cuban Style Ham Pizza" and "Pizza Cubana Cuban Style Bacon Pizza."
Now, another variety of frozen pizza products are being recalled—meaning you'll want to check your freezer yet again.
If you like different kinds of meat on your pizza, make sure you didn't buy these pies.
On July 28, approximately 19,275 pounds of frozen meat pizza products were recalled, this time by Danny's Sub and Pizza, based out of Cape Coral, Florida. The retailer, which does business as Danny's Cuban Pizza, recalled the products, with the FSIS issuing a High Class 1 safety alert to the public.
A total of four pizza products were recalled, all of which were frozen, shrink wrapped, and 14 ounces in weight. The recall includes Danny's Cuban Pizza Authentic Cuban Style pepperoni, Danny's Cuban Pizza Authentic Cuban Style chorizo, Danny's Cuban Pizza Authentic Cuban Style Hawaiian, and Danny's Cuban Pizza Authentic Cuban Style ham. None of the products have a lot code, packaging dates, or other identifying information on their respective labels, the FSIS said.
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The frozen pizzas were not properly inspected.
According to the recall announcement, much like the Ready Dough Pizza products, the Danny's Cuban Pizza products were "produced in an establishment that was not inspected by the USDA," and also lacked a USDA inspection sticker. Recalled pizzas were produced between Jan. 2020 and July 2022.
The issue was identified "during routing FSIS surveillance activities," the agency said. According to the Health and Safety page on the USDA website, the FSIS performs inspections to ensure food is safe for the public to consume—as well as properly labeled—protecting you from E. coli, Salmonella, and other foodborne illnesses, especially in meat, eggs, and poultry.
Don't eat these pizzas—and throw them away.
Take a peek in your freezer if you live in Texas or Florida, as Danny's Cuban Pizzas were sent to retailers in both states. There haven't been any reports of adverse reactions tied to the pizzas, the FSIS confirmed, but you'll still want to avoid popping these frozen pies in the oven.
"FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers' freezers," the recall announcement reads. "Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them."
The agency asks that you either throw the frozen pizzas away or return them to your place of purchase. For questions pertaining to this recall, you can contact Danny Rodriguez, president of Danny's Sub and Pizza, whose number is listed in the FSIS release.
