Elevated risk U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Benny T’s Vesta Dry Hot Sauces recall: Due to Undeclared Wheat

Recall published 2+ years ago

Due to Undeclared Wheat

Benny T’s Sauces & dips — recalled sauces & dips
Photo published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration with the recall notice.

The hazard: Undeclared wheat or gluten

This recall is a labelling failure: wheat or gluten is present and the label does not say so. That is harmless to most households and genuinely dangerous to a few.

What the notice says: People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

Why it matters: The label does not declare wheat or gluten, so anyone who reads labels to avoid it has no way of knowing it is in there. For people without that allergy the product is safe to eat.

Symptoms and when to call a doctor

An undeclared allergen is a danger only to people allergic or intolerant to that ingredient. For everyone else the food is safe. Reactions range from an itchy mouth, hives, stomach cramps or vomiting through to anaphylaxis — swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, a tight chest, wheezing, a sudden drop in blood pressure or collapse. If anaphylaxis is suspected, use an epinephrine auto-injector straight away and call 911, even if the symptoms seem to settle, because a second wave can follow hours later.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you feel unwell, a clinician who can see you is the only person able to judge your case.

Recall details

Published
January 8, 2024
Risk level
Elevated risk
Issued by
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Brand
Benny T’s
Product type
Sauces & dips
Distribution
Nationwide
UPC codes
794571994980, 794571994973, 794571994904, 794571994911, 794571994997
Reports of harm
No illnesses have been reported to date.

Products covered by this recall

Benny T’s Vesta Dry Hot Sauces

What the company announced

Vesta Fiery Gourmet Foods, Inc., of Raleigh, NC - JANUARY 8, 2024, is voluntarily recalling Benny T’s Vesta Dry Hot Sauce Ghost 1.5oz glass jar UPC 7 94571 99498 0, Benny T’s Vesta Dry Hot Sauce Hot 1.5oz glass jar UPC 7 94571 99497 3, Benny T’s Vesta Dry Hot Sauce Reaper 1.5oz glass jar UPC 7 94571 99490 4, Benny T’s Vesta Dry Hot Sauce Scorpion 1.5oz glass jar UPC 7 94571 99491 1 & Benny T’s Vesta Dry Hot Sauce Very Hot 1.5oz glass jar UPC 7 94571 99499 7 because these products contain undeclared wheat. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

Products affected are:

  • Product: Benny T’s Vesta Ghost · Size: 1.5 Ounce · UPC: 7 94571 99498 0 · All Use By Dates Up To And Including: December 2024
  • Product: Benny T’s Vesta Hot · Size: 1.5 Ounce · UPC: 7 94571 99497 3 · All Use By Dates Up To And Including: December 2024
  • Product: Benny T’s Vesta Reaper · Size: 1.5 Ounce · UPC: 7 94571 99490 4 · All Use By Dates Up To And Including: December 2024
  • Product: Benny T’s Vesta Scorpion · Size: 1.5 Ounce · UPC: 7 94571 99491 1 · All Use By Dates Up To And Including: December 2024
  • Product: Benny T’s Vesta Very Hot · Size: 1.5 Ounce · UPC: 7 94571 99499 7 · All Use By Dates Up To And Including: December 2024

On 1/4/24 the firm was notified by the North Carolina Depart of Agriculture and Consumer Services that the label does not state the flour used is a wheat flour.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

The affected lot numbers and expiration dates are: FX001500 (expiration date 09/2024) and FX001582 (expiration date 09/2024) NDC 0078-0110-22. These lots were only distributed in the US. They were distributed nationwide to wholesalers across the US, beginning in January 2022 and September 2022, respectively.

The products were distributed between October 1, 2023 - January 4, 2024. These products were packaged in glass jars and sold primarily online, in retail stores & deli cases located throughout the United States. Images of the products are below.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them or they may discard the product. Consumers with questions may contact Chris Tuorto at 919-656-7688, Monday - Friday, 8AM - 9PM EST.

This recall is being made with the knowledge of the Food and Drug Administration.

Reproduced from the company announcement posted on fda.gov. Links and contact forms in the original are not repeated here; the official notice below has them.

Check your product

The notice names 10 codes you can read straight off the package. Type the one printed on yours and the list below narrows to it.

UPC / barcode

Read the twelve digits under the barcode on the package.

  • 794571994980
  • 794571994973
  • 794571994904
  • 794571994911
  • 794571994997

Best-by / use-by date

Printed beside the lot code, not on the price sticker.

  • December 2024
  • 09/2024

NDC number

On the carton and again on the bottle or blister label.

  • 0078-0110-22

Package size

Match the net weight or the piece count on the front of the pack.

  • 1.5 oz
  • 1.5 Ounce

Codes are lifted verbatim from the FDA — Company recall announcements notice. A code that is missing here may still be covered — the official notice is the complete list.

What to do about Wheat

Benny T’s — This recall is a labelling failure: wheat or gluten is present and the label does not say so. That is harmless to most households and genuinely dangerous to a few.

  1. If anyone in your household avoids wheat or gluten, stop serving the product immediately and check whether any was used in food already prepared.
  2. If a reaction has already happened, report it to the FDA through its consumer complaint coordinator so the case is attached to this recall.
  3. Tell anyone else who eats from your kitchen, including childminders, schools and anyone catering an event you contributed to.
  4. Keep the pack if you want a refund, or photograph the label and the lot code and then bin it. If nobody in the house avoids wheat or gluten, you may simply eat it — the recall is about disclosure, not spoilage.

How to get your money back

Food recalls carry a full refund, and in the United States you usually do not need the receipt or the packaging.

  • Take the product, or your photo of the label, to the customer service desk of the store where you bought it. Nearly every national grocer refunds recalled food on the spot.
  • Bought it online? Open the order in your account and use the refund option; marketplace sellers are required to honour a federal recall.
  • If the store refuses, contact the recalling company using the details on this page. The firm, not the shop, carries the cost of a recall.
  • If you have a loyalty card, the retailer can look the purchase up in your history — Kroger, Costco and Walmart all do this routinely.

Remedy named in the notice: Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them or they may discard the product.

Company contact: Vesta Fiery Gourmet Foods, Inc. — Consumers: Chris Tuorto, 919-656-7688

The official notice

This page summarises a notice published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The agency notice is the authoritative version — read it before you act, and treat it as the final word if anything here looks different.

Open the FDA — Company recall announcements record U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalls

Questions people ask about this recall

Why was Benny T’s sauces & dips recalled?

Due to Undeclared Wheat People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

How do I know if I have the recalled product?

Match the codes printed on your package against the notice: UPC 794571994980, 794571994973, 794571994904; best-by date December 2024 or 09/2024. If the code on your package is not on that list, your unit is outside the recall.

What should I do with it right now?

If anyone in your household avoids wheat or gluten, stop serving the product immediately and check whether any was used in food already prepared.

Can I get my money back?

The notice says: Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them or they may discard the product.

Where was the recalled product sold?

It was distributed nationwide.

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