More Than 4,500 Pounds of a Popular Pasta Brand Are Being Recalled
Updated: Oct. 18, 2023
The USDA is advising that the fresh pasta products bear an inspection mark with incorrect information.
A pasta company is recalling over 4,500 pounds of pasta. The frozen products from Mrs. Pasta in Fort Lauderdale, FL, which is owned by Massimo & Umberto Inc., were stamped with the USDA mark of inspection but carried an establishment number from a different location, according to the recall announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on October 16, 2023. The FSIS investigation revealed that these products had not undergone the required inspection, despite the inspection mark.
These frozen pasta products were distributed to stores and restaurants across Florida and included four different varieties of meat-stuffed pasta. All four products displayed labels with dates ranging from 8/1/2023 to 10/11/2023, along with a stamp of inspection indicating a different location.
The recalled products are the 12-pound cases of:
- Mrs. Pasta Short Ribs Ravioli
- Mrs. Pasta Veal Ossobuco Ravioli squared
- Mrs. Pasta Veal Ossobuco Ravioli Halfmoon
- Mrs. Pasta Tortellini Bolognese
All four of these products carried a USDA mark of inspection with the establishment number “EST. 45764.” Here’s what the labels for the products look like for reference.
The issue came to light after an inspection of the Mrs. Pasta facility on September 26, 2023, by the Florida Department of Agriculture. The inspection noted that the new location of the company was not operating with a valid permit and pointed out that Mrs. Pasta had failed to submit an application for a permit at their new location after moving.
A subsequent investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) uncovered the mislabeling and the absence of inspection. According to the Miami Herald, the company had relocated from Dania Beach, FL, to Fort Lauderdale, but the exact timeframe for this move was not specified.
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While no illnesses have been reported following the recall, the notice strongly advises customers, stores, or restaurants with these products to either dispose of them or return them to the place of purchase. For any inquiries, individuals can contact Umberto Costa, the owner of Mrs. Pasta, directly at 954-993-0842.
According to the Mrs. Pasta website, the pasta-making company was established in 2004 in Miami. Their emblem features a woman perched on a fork, and they produce a wide range of pasta products, including fresh egg-based pasta, various high-end ravioli, fiocchi (pillow-like dumpling pasta similar to tortellini), tortellini, and other handmade pasta shapes, including gnocchi. Subsequent inspections of the former Dania Beach location revealed that the company met inspection requirements, with only minor issues to address.
Originally Published: October 18, 2023
