Frozen Pizzas Recalled

A labelling error resulted in the presence of undeclared wheat in Shakespeare's frozen pizza.

By Allison Schonter

If frozen pizza is on the menu in your near future, you may need to reconsider your dinner plans. Several varieties of Shakespeare's frozen pizza have been recalled due to a potentially life-threatening allergy concern, according to a new recall issued by Shakespeare's Pizza on Thursday, Dec. 7, per the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The recall includes all of the Columbia, Missouri-based company's pizza, including extra cheese, vegetarian, four cheese, and spinach artichoke varieties. The pizzas were sold in 12-inch sizes and distributed in grocery stores throughout Missouri, and in a small number of grocers in Kansas, in the Kansas City metro area, according to the recall notice. All best-by dates and lot codes are impacted by the recall. Images of the product labels, as well as the UPC codes, can be viewed here.

The recall was issued following a "routine inspection by our government regulatory agency partners," which discovered "the omission of a declaration on our labeling of the presence of wheat in our pizzas." With wheat not disclosed on the packaging, the pizzas pose a health risk for those with a sensitivity or allergy to the ingredient. Signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction to wheat may occur within minutes to hours after eating something containing wheat and can include nasal congestion, headache, trouble breathing, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, hives, or swelling of the mouth or throat, according to the Mayo Clinic. For some, a wheat allergy reaction could involve anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction that includes chest pain or tightness, swelling of the throat, severe difficulty breaking, difficulty swallowing, pale skin, and fainting.

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Although no illnesses have been reported to date in connection to consumption of the recalled pizzas, Shakespeare's Pizza encouraged consumers with dietary restrictions concerning wheat not to consume the recalled products. The recalled pizzas may instead be returned to the place of purchase or to Shakespeare's Pizza for a refund. For more information, call 573-268-4106 or 573-268-2371, or email hello@shakespeares.com.

The recall is just the latest to be issued due to an undeclared allergen. In late November, Wine Country Gift Baskets issued a voluntary recall of all gift baskets containing Acorn Baking Company raspberry crème filled cookies after a labeling error resulted in some packages of the raspberry crème filled cookies actually containing hazelnut crème filled cookies. Hazelnut is a tree nut and listed as one of the nine major food allergens, meaning the cookies posed a potentially life-threatening risk to some consumers. The company said it had not received any complaints about the recalled gift baskets and there were no reports of injuries or illnesses.

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