A viral TikTok showing what appears to be a dead mouse inside a jar of peppers has prompted Mezzetta to recall a specific batch of its Golden Greek Peperoncini while the company investigates what happened.
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According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, G. L. Mezzetta Inc. voluntarily recalled one lot of its Golden Greek Peperoncini Medium Heat in 32-ounce jars because of the potential “presence of pest contaminant in the jar.” The company announcement was dated September 26, 2026, and the FDA published the recall notice the same day.
The Mezzetta peperoncini recall covers 32-ounce jars with SKU 10106328 and lot number 720106, according to the FDA notice. Mezzetta said the recall is limited to that specific product and production lot and that, based on information available when the notice was issued, no other Mezzetta products or lots were included.
The recall follows a disturbing social media post that quickly gained attention online. A woman posted a TikTok video on September 16 saying she was preparing Mississippi-style pot roast when she discovered what she described as a mouse inside her jar of peperoncini.
“There’s a dead baby mouse in my peperoncinis,” the woman said in the video.
Mezzetta acknowledged the circulating video in its recall announcement but described what appeared in the jar as a potential contaminant rather than confirming that a rodent entered the product during manufacturing.
“We’re aware of a video circulating on social media showing a potential pest contaminant in a jar” of the recalled product, Mezzetta said in the recall announcement.
“We have contacted the consumer and have moved quickly to investigate the situation and initiate a voluntary recall,” the company added.
According to the FDA recall announcement, Mezzetta reported no illnesses or injuries connected to the recalled peperoncini at the time the notice was issued. Consumers who have a 32-ounce jar from lot 720106 are being instructed not to eat it and to contact the company at [email protected] for assistance.
Mezzetta said its investigation goes beyond the viral video. According to the company’s announcement posted by the FDA, it requested the product involved in the original consumer report so it could examine it and began reviewing “the relevant production, sanitation and food-safety records.”
The company also said its production and distribution records allowed it to determine which customers received products from the affected lot. Mezzetta said it was working with those customers to isolate the recalled jars and remove them from sale.
“Food safety is our highest priority,” Mezzetta said in the recall announcement. “Our facilities follow established programs for sanitation, pest control, product quality and traceability designed to protect our products.”
According to the company, its Quality Management System is audited through the Safe Quality Food program, also known as SQF, and its facility operates under a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point plan intended to identify, evaluate, and control potential food safety hazards. Those existing programs do not establish how the object shown in the viral video got into the jar, and Mezzetta said its investigation is continuing.
The incident puts an unusual spotlight on a company with deep roots in the specialty food business. According to Mezzetta’s official company history, Giuseppe Mezzetta founded the business in 1935 after opening a storefront in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood that sold Mediterranean staples including peppers and olives. The family-owned company later moved into a production facility in American Canyon, California, in 1996 and expanded its products and national distribution.
According to Mezzetta’s company FAQ, the business remains owned and operated by the Mezzetta family, with founder Giuseppe Mezzetta’s great-grandson Jeff Mezzetta serving as CEO and president. The company says its products are jarred at its Napa Valley area headquarters after ingredients are sourced from different regions around the world.
That long history makes the current recall particularly notable for a brand that has built much of its identity around jarred peppers, olives and other specialty foods.
“For generations, families have trusted Mezzetta products on their tables,” the company said in the FDA posted recall announcement.
“We take that trust seriously,” Mezzetta added.
For consumers, the most important detail is the lot number. The FDA’s current recall listing identifies the affected product as Mezzetta Golden Greek Peperoncini Medium Heat, while the company says only the 32-ounce jars carrying lot 720106 and SKU 10106328 are part of the voluntary recall.
Mezzetta said it is coordinating with regulatory authorities as the investigation continues and plans to update its recall information if the scope or consumer guidance changes. For now, the company has not reported any illnesses or injuries, and the investigation has not publicly established how the alleged contaminant seen in the viral video entered the jar.