Check Your Freezer: This Trader Joe's Fan-Favorite Frozen Pizza Is Under A Health Alert

Keeping frozen pizza in the freezer is usually a good thing — unless you happen to have a box of Trader Joe's Uncured Pepperoni Pizza in there currently. This past Friday, August 29, 2025, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert for the Trader Joe's frozen pepperoni pizza made in Italy, since the product failed to receive the import reinspection step required for the sale and consumption of the product. As a result, the FSIS has flagged the product specifically with the following lot codes listed on the packaging: "MFG LOT: 06/16/25 BEST BY: 08/16/26" or "MFG LOT: 06/21/25 BEST BY 08/21/26."

The FSIS alert notes that "a recall was not requested because the product is no longer available for purchase." However, the pizza reportedly did make its way to over 60 stores in California, even though the crucial reinspection step was missed. So, if you bought one of these pizzas recently, especially from one of the affected stores listed on Trader Joe's website, the FSIS alert states that the "product should be thrown away or returned" to Trader Joe's. You can check your freezer to see if you have the impacted pizza by looking for the lot codes on the bottom of the pack, where they're usually printed, as well as the SKU number: 79898. You'll also be able to spot the Italy establishment number "IT 1558 L UE" on the front of the box within the Italian mark of inspection. 

It appears there haven't been reported cases of foodborne illness or any particular bacterial pathogen associated with the consumption of the involved frozen pizza lots. As opposed to the biggest food recalls in Trader Joe's history, the uncured pepperoni pizza health alert — notably, not a recall — seems to be a protocol-based precautionary measure, since import reinspection requires condition and labeling inspection by the USDA for imported products after they've met border customs and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service checks. This must occur before shipping the product to stores in the US. Unfortunately, the frozen pizza missed this final reinspection step that would have confirmed it was safe for sale and consumption. 

This comes as a disappointment, especially since the retailer is no stranger to imported products. Many of the best Trader Joe's items are imported from Canada, Italy, and countless other countries. However, in a recent website announcement regarding the public health alert, Trader Joe's revealed that the failure to undergo reinspection was "due to a paperwork error." Aside from its normal positioning as a tasty, convenient dinner option, if it's in your freezer, don't risk eating the uncured pepperoni pizza made in Italy. Luckily, there are a plethora of other popular frozen pizza brands you can reach for instead in the meantime.