The Recall Desk
ModerateFDA (Food)·F-0120-2018·Announced 2017-11-15

San Gennaro Foods Recalls Polenta Due to Non-Approved Ink Contact

San Gennaro Foods is recalling multiple brands of polenta because date coding ink was printed directly on the food contact surface of the packaging.

What this means for you

Minor labeling or packaging issue, or a voluntary precautionary recall. Risk of harm is low but real — follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Our severity reasoning: The recall is classified as FDA Class III, which indicates a remote probability of adverse health consequences. The hazard involves non-approved ink contacting food, which is a labeling/packaging defect rather than a high-risk pathogen or structural defect.

Plain-English summary

San Gennaro Foods, Inc. is recalling several brands of Traditional Organic Polenta, including Ancient Harvest, Italissima, Frieda's, and Zerto. The recall involves pre-cooked, ready-to-heat polenta products in various package sizes. The specific issue is that date coding ink was printed directly on the food contact surface of the packaging, allowing the ink to be in direct contact with the product. The ink used is not approved for food use.

The affected products were distributed in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Canada. Specific case quantities and lot codes are available for each brand in the official recall documentation.

Consumers who have purchased these products should check their packages for the specific brand, UPC, and code numbers listed in the official recall notice. If the product matches the description, consumers should stop using it and follow the instructions provided by the recalling firm or the FDA for disposal or return.

The recalled product

Product
Traditional Organic Polenta, Ancient Harvest brand, Pre-cooked ready-to-heat, 12/18 oz packages UPC#6-59201-10201-5 Traditional Organic Polenta, Italissima brand, Ready to heat and serve, 12/24 oz packages UPC# 7-78518-00760-5 Traditional Organic Polenta, Frieda's brand, P
Manufacturer
San Gennaro Foods, Inc
Category
Food — Grains / Polenta
Hazard

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Lot numbers (20)

  • Ancient Harvest codes: 010918
  • 011118
  • 011518
  • 011618
  • 011818
  • 012218
  • 012918
  • 013018
  • 020118
  • 020518
  • 020718
  • 020618
  • 021218
  • 021318
  • 022818
  • 030118
  • 032818
  • 032918
  • 041118
  • 041218

Distribution

Distributed in 18 states:

Part of a larger recall action

This product is one of 14 recalled by San Gennaro Foods, Inc under a single FDA (Food) recall action. The agency files each product separately, so the size of the action is not visible from this page alone.

See all 14 products in this recall →

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