Canadians who stocked up on frozen pizza snacks in recent weeks might have gotten more than they bargained for.
Over the weekend, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued a major recall affecting 11 varieties of Pillsbury brand Pizza Pops due to possible E. coli O26 contamination.
This latest recall significantly expands on an initial warning issued in December that only affected certain pepperoni and bacon flavours. Now, the recall covers six different flavours sold in multiple sizes, making it one of the bigger frozen food recalls in recent memory.
The affected flavours include 3 Cheese, Pepperoni, Extreme Pepperoni + Bacon, 3 Meat, Pepperoni + Bacon, and Deluxe varieties. Products were sold nationwide, meaning your local grocery store likely carried them.
What you need to check
The CFIA has classified this as a Class 1 recall — the most serious level. Here are the specific products you should be looking for in your freezer:
- Pizza Pops 3 Cheese (4 snacks, 380 g) — UPC: 0 69052 12952 7 — Better If Used By 15JN2026WN; 16JN2026WN
- Pizza Pops 3 Cheese (30 snacks, 2.85 kg) — UPC: 0 69052 12958 9 — Better If Used By 15JN2026WN; 16JN2026WN
- Pizza Pops Pepperoni (4 snacks, 380 g) — UPC: 0 69052 12953 4 — Better If Used By 16JN2026WN; 17JN2026WN
- Pizza Pops Pepperoni (30 snacks, 2.85 kg) — UPC: 0 69052 12962 6 — Better If Used By 17JN2026WN
- Pizza Pops Supremo Extreme Pepperoni + Bacon (30 snacks, 3 kg) — UPC: 0 69052 46901 2 — Better If Used By 17JN2026WN; 18JN2026WN
- Pizza Pops Pepperoni + Bacon (4 snacks, 380 g) — UPC: 0 69052 12948 0 — Better If Used By 18JN2026WN; 19JN2026WN
- Pizza Pops Pepperoni + Bacon (30 snacks, 2.85 kg) — UPC: 0 69052 12961 9 — Better If Used By 18JN2026WN; 19JN2026WN
- Pizza Pops 3 Meat (4 snacks, 380 g) — UPC: 0 69052 12955 8 — Better If Used By 19JN2026WN; 20JN2026WN; 21JN2026WN
- Pizza Pops Deluxe (8 snacks, 760 g) — UPC: 0 69052 12966 4 — Better If Used By 08JN2026WN; 09JN2026WN
- Pizza Pops Deluxe (4 snacks, 380 g) — UPC: 0 69052 12949 7 — Better If Used By 14JN2026WN; 15JN2026WN
- Pizza Pops Deluxe (30 snacks, 2.85 kg) — UPC: 0 69052 13288 6 — Better If Used By 14JN2026WN; 15JN2026WN
Why this is serious
E. coli is particularly nasty because you can’t detect it by looking at or smelling the product. Food contaminated with this bacteria can look and smell completely normal while still making you seriously sick.
According to the CFIA, symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, mild to severe abdominal cramps, and watery to bloody diarrhea. In severe cases, people may experience seizures or strokes, require blood transfusions and kidney dialysis, or develop permanent kidney damage. In rare cases, the infection can be fatal.
What you should do
The CFIA and Public Health Agency of Canada are currently investigating a foodborne illness outbreak linked to these products. Here’s what you need to do:
- Check your freezer immediately for any of the recalled products
- Do not eat them, even if they look and smell fine
- Throw them out or return them to the store for a refund
- If you’ve recently eaten Pizza Pops and are experiencing symptoms, contact your doctor
The CFIA warns that additional products may be added to the recall as the investigation continues.
For complete details and updates, check the official recall notice on the CFIA website.
