Hunt's tomato paste is advertised as coming from all-natural tomatoes that are vine-ripened. Unfortunately, the product was recalled because it may have been affected after the product's canning process.
The recall issued by the company was for the "no salt added" product."The final product could have been damaged, creating the potential for mold," Conagra Brands Inc. said in a press release.
The company stated that they became aware of this issue after they received phone calls from their consumers complaining about the molds that accumulated in the paste. The cans that were affected were distributed within the United States, it falls under the lot code 2105902510, and its expiration date is October 16, 2020.
The company then later stated that there are no other products that are affected. Conagra Brands Inc. said that they had informed the FDA or the Food and Drug Administration about this issue and they are working with the department to make sure that all the affected products are off the shelves and they are not distributed in order to prevent any damage in the health of the consumers.
Mold is a type of fungus that is consisted of small organisms that are found everywhere. Molds can be white, orange, black, purple or green. Molds play an essential role in the ecosystem as it breaks down plants, dead leaves and trees.
This fungus thrives on moisture, and it can reproduce by having tiny, lightweight spores that can travel through the air. We are exposed to mold every day, and in small amounts, they are considered harmless but when they land in your home or your food and start to grow, they can be inhaled or consumed, and it could start affecting your health.
You may suffer from asthma, allergies and/or your immune system can be compromised. If you eat food with molds, then you can be poisoned as it has bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter, Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Bacillus cereus, and Entero-pathogenic Escherichia coli.
If you have food that you haven't consumed yet, it is best to cover them and put them in the fridge (you can use plastic wrap or containers) to avoid mold formation. It is also best to consume leftovers within four days, and perishables must not be left out for more than two hours.
If you see mold in your food before the expiration date, contact the company's customer service hotline immediately. If you happen to consume food that has mold in it, drink lots of water in order to help digest it quickly.
