FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Ready-to-Eat Meat Soup Products Due to Possible Contamination
USDA Recall Notice
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture (FSIS) (USDA) — official agency notice for recall USDA-PHA-04252023-01.
WASHINGTON, April 25, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert due to concerns that ready-to-eat meat soup products may have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions, which may result in the product spoiling prematurely. FSIS is issuing this public health alert to ensure that consumers are aware that these products should not be consumed. A recall was not requested because the products are no longer available for purchase.
The following products are subject to the public health alert [view labels]:
- 48-oz. packages containing two 24-oz. cups of “Ivar’s PUGET SOUND CLAM CHOWDER WITH BACON” with Use By dates 4/26/2023, 4/27/2023, 5/3/2023, 5/4/2023, 5/5/2023, 5/11/2023, 5/23/2023, 5/30/2023, 6/2/2023, 6/6/2023, 6/7/2023, 7/5/2023, 7/20/2023, 8/1/2023, 8/10/2023, and 8/17/2023.
- 48-oz. packages containing two 24-oz. cups of “Ivar’s Loaded Baked Potato Soup” with Use By dates 5/9/2023, 5/19/2023, 6/16/2023, and 7/18/2023.
- 48-oz. packages containing two 24-oz. cups of “Ivar’s Rustic Zuppa Toscana Italian Sausage and Vegetable Soup” with Use By dates 4/30/2023, 5/2/2023, 5/14/2023, 5/15/2023, 5/21/2023, 5/22/2023, and 5/30/2023.
- 20-oz. cup of “Ivar’s PUGET SOUND Clam Chowder WITH BACON” with Use By dates 4/26/2023, 5/5/2023, 6/6/2023, 7/20/2023, and 8/10/2023.
- 20-oz. cup of “PIKE PLACE FISH MARKET WORLD FAMOUS CLAM CHOWDER WITH BACON” with Use By dates 5/4/2023, 7/5/2023, and 8/1/2023.
The products bear establishment number “EST. 20173” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide and exported to Mexico.
The problem was discovered when the establishment notified FSIS that they had received multiple consumer complaints regarding bloated soup packages. Upon further review, the establishment found that some product spoiled prematurely. The establishment’s lab testing of the prematurely spoiled products found high levels of spoilage bacteria in the products.
There have been no confirmed reports of illness due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.
Consumption of food contaminated with spoilage organisms can cause illness in immunocompromised individuals.
FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
Media with questions regarding the public health alert can contact Bob Donegan, President, Ivar’s Soup Company, at bobd@keepclam.com. Consumers with questions regarding the public health alert can contact Robert Green, Director of Technical Services, Ivar’s Soup Company, at robertg@keepclam.com.
Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Consumers can also send a question via email to MPHotline@usda.gov. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.
Corrective Action (per USDA)
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture (FSIS) (USDA) — official agency notice for recall USDA-PHA-04252023-01.
Return product to place of purchase or discard.
✅ What you should do
- Stop using the product if you own it.
- Check the model number, lot code, or sell-by date against the recall notice above.
- Contact Ivars Commissary or the retailer where you bought it for a refund, replacement, or repair.
- For the most current official instructions, visit the USDA recall page.
- If you've been hurt by this product, report the incident to USDA.
Consumer Contact (per USDA)
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture (FSIS) (USDA) — official agency notice for recall USDA-PHA-04252023-01.
Company Contact Ivar’s Soup Company Bob Donegan bobd@keepclam.com
About the U.S. Department of Agriculture (FSIS)
USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service oversees meat, poultry, and processed egg products. Recalls cover contamination, mislabeling, and foodborne hazards.
Visit USDA.gov →📣 Report a food safety issue to USDA FSIS
If you bought or ate this product and got sick — or noticed contamination, foreign objects, or labeling problems — report it to USDA FSIS. Save the product and packaging if possible; investigators may want it for lab testing.
Ivars Commissary Recall FAQ
Ivars Commissary is the subject of a pork recall: FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Ready-to-Eat Meat Soup Products Due to Possible Contamination. The notice was published on April 25, 2023 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (FSIS) (USDA). Approximately 0 units are potentially affected.