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Food Standards Agency Recalls Filippo Berio Hot Chilli Pesto Over Undeclared Fish
The UK Food Standards Agency has recalled one 190g batch of Filippo Berio Hot Chilli Pesto because fish is not declared on the label.
Food safety alert
The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued an allergy alert for Filippo Berio Hot Chilli Pesto after identifying fish that is not mentioned on the product label. The recall concerns a specific 190g pack, so anyone with a fish allergy should check jars carefully before using them.
This is a practical cupboard check rather than a warning about every pesto product. The FSA notice names one product and one batch: Filippo Berio Hot Chilli Pesto, 190g, batch code LR319, with a best-before date of 15 May 2028. The affected product may present a health risk to people who are allergic to fish.
What the recall covers
The affected jar is sold under the Filippo Berio Hot Chilli Pesto name. The product is described by the brand as a spicy pesto combining chilli with tomatoes and peppers, but the important detail for this alert is the undeclared fish allergen. The FSA has not advised consumers to avoid every jar of the product; shoppers should compare the label, pack size, batch code and date against the recall notice.
- Product: Filippo Berio Hot Chilli Pesto
- Pack size: 190g
- Batch code: LR319
- Best-before date: 15 May 2028
- Allergen: Fish
The long best-before date makes the notice especially worth checking in home kitchens. A jar bought months ago may still be stored in a cupboard and could remain within date. That does not mean every jar is affected, but it does mean that relying on the product name alone is not enough for anyone managing a fish allergy.
What consumers should do
If you have a jar matching all of the details above and have a fish allergy, do not eat it. Do not use it in pasta, spread it on toast or add it to a sauce for other people. The FSA advises consumers to return the product to the store where it was bought for a full refund.
For a quick check, take the jar out of the cupboard and read the back or base of the packaging. Confirm the product name first, then look for the 190g size, batch code LR319 and the 15 May 2028 best-before date. If one of those details does not match, this particular FSA notice does not identify that jar as part of the affected batch. When the label is unclear, the safer choice is to set the jar aside and ask the retailer or manufacturer for confirmation rather than guessing.
Do not try to make the product safe by cooking it. This is an undeclared allergen alert, and the official action is to avoid eating the affected jar and return it. Heating a pesto-based dish is not a substitute for checking the label or following the recall instructions.
Why undeclared allergens matter
Food recalls are not limited to visible spoilage or unusual taste. A product can look and smell normal while still carrying a serious risk for a person with an allergy. That is why the FSA publishes the exact product description, pack size, batch information and date: these details help households separate the affected stock from unaffected products without throwing away an entire category of food.
The alert also illustrates why labels should be checked when buying a replacement jar, even if the recipe and brand are familiar. Formulas, packaging and distribution can change, while products already in the home can remain there for a long time. For households where fish must be avoided, a batch-level check is a simple step before opening any jar.
What this means for the rest of the cupboard
This notice is specific to the Filippo Berio Hot Chilli Pesto details listed by the FSA. It is not a general recall of all pesto, all Filippo Berio products or every Hot Chilli Pesto jar. Consumers should avoid turning a targeted safety notice into a wider assumption, but they should also avoid ignoring a matching jar because it appears unchanged.
CookingScope will treat the FSA notice as the controlling source for the recall. The retailer guidance confirms the same product details and return instruction, while Filippo Berio's official product pages provide context for the pesto category. If your jar matches batch LR319 and the 15 May 2028 date, keep it out of food preparation and return it for a refund.