Peperoncini recalled after woman’s disgusting find leads to contamination concerns

A popular brand of peperoncini peppers has been recalled after a woman claimed to find a disturbing surprise in a jar she bought.

California-based food supplier G.L. Mezzetta Inc. issued a voluntary recall Saturday over potential “foreign objects” in a specific lot of 32-ounce Mezzetta Golden Greek Peperoncini Medium Heat, according to a release shared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“For generations, families have trusted Mezzetta products on their tables,” the release, which was shared on Mezzetta’s website, said. “We take that trust seriously, which is why we want to share what we know.”

The company then acknowledged a recent viral video, saying: “We’re aware of a video circulating on social media showing a potential pest contaminant in a jar of Mezzetta Golden Greek Peperoncini Medium Heat, 32-ounce. We have contacted the consumer and have moved quickly to investigate the situation and initiate a voluntary recall.”

Although the release did not specifically say what the “potential pest contaminant was,” a woman alleged that there was a “dead baby mouse” in her product in a viral video shared September 16 on TikTok.

“There’s a dead baby mouse in my peperoncinis,” the woman said in the series of clips, which were viewed by The Independent. She showed her 32-ounce jar, which had what appeared to be a tiny gray mouse about the size of a pepper floating in the product. “I found out after I had already licked my fingers,” she said.

Mezzetta said in its statement: “We have contacted the consumer and have moved quickly to investigate the situation and initiate a voluntary recall.”

The company said it has not received any reports of illness or injury. The Independent has contacted the company for further comment.

The recall only applies to one product: Mezzetta Golden Greek Peperoncini Medium Heat, 32-ounce, with the SKU code of 10106328 and lot number 720106.

“We have detailed production and distribution records that allow us to identify where the product from the recall lot was distributed,” the company announcement said, although the distributors were not named in the statement.

Mezzetta investigators have identified customers that received the recalled products and are “working directly with them to isolate and remove the affected product from sale,” the statement said.

The company added that it has requested the original contaminated product to review it as part of the investigation, and that it is “reviewing the relevant production, sanitation and food-safety records as part of our ongoing investigation.”

Customers who believe they have the recalled product should not eat the peperoncinis and are asked to contact Mezzetta for help. The company will update its recall page with any new information.