Since 1935, our primary mission at G.L. Mezzetta has been to share our passion for specialty foods. Below are the answers to the most common questions we get asked. If you don’t find the information you’re looking for, please contact our customer service department at any time by phone, fax or email and we’ll be happy to answer your question.
Similar to most agricultural products, weather and climate conditions during the growing season can greatly influence the size and spiciness of fresh grown peppers. We strive for uniformity with each jar of Mezzetta peppers but the size and spiciness can vary. We strive for acceptable ranges in every fresh grown product we produce. Please let us know if you consider the difference to be substantial. We’d like to know if the difference is affecting your satisfaction of the product.
We do not have an expiration date on our labels. Our pickled products will last up to 2 years as long as they are unopened. Once opened this product has a recommended refrigerated shelf life of 6 months. When taking product from the jar utensils are recommended (as opposed to your fingers) to prolong shelf life.
Our Olive products will last up to 12 months once opened as long as they are kept refrigerated. If after some time, a white mold develops on the top of the surface, simply float it out and resume eating. When taking product from the jar utensils are recommended (as opposed to your fingers) to prolong shelf life.
Because this product is not pickled as most of our other products, and we avoid using preservatives whenever possible, it will not have an extended shelf life once opened and refrigerated. We have been working to determine the most effective method to preserve the peppers once refrigerated. Adding olive oil has not proven very effective. Another method is to add 5% acidic vinegar to cover the peppers. We recommend that you use the peppers within seven days after opening or transfer them to a container for freezing. This information is provided on our labels.
Sun Dried Tomatoes will last up to two weeks once opened as long as they are kept refrigerated. If a white mold develops on the top of the surface of the tomatoes, please discard them. When taking product from the jar utensils are recommended (as opposed to your fingers) to prolong shelf life.
Capers are tiny, tangy vegetables. They are the flower buds of an attractive shrub (Capparis spinosa) that is common in the Mediterranean region but rare in this country. The caper shrub has long branches and dark green, fleshy leaves. The plants are dormant in fall and winter. From spring to fall, buds form in each leaf joint. If not harvested for pickling, these open into white crepe-like flowers. Each flower lasts only half a day. Small buds are considered best in flavor. Capers require pickling; they are unpalatable raw. Capers are evaluated by size. The smaller (nonpareil) are usually used whole in recipes. The larger (Capote) capers are generally chopped to add to sauces and dressings. The English translation for the French words "nonpareil" is without equal.
The ingredients for our vegetable mixes are premixed to a formula. The product is put into jars using both machinery and manual labor to ensure an even ratio of ingredient distribution. Quality checks and inspections are performed during the entire packing process to ensure the consumer is getting a consistently high quality product that retains its natural crispness.
Most Mezzetta brand pickled peppers and vegetables are packed with white distilled vinegar. We have the following statement from our vinegar supplier concerning gluten.
"At present the white distilled vinegar we are supplying you is produced from wood sugar alcohol. At times it might be produced from grain alcohol. We make the following statement concerning vinegar produced from grain alcohol: Since gluten is one of the proteins in wheat and other grains and is left behind when the starch is converted to sugar, there is a possibility that vinegar made from any non-distilled grain source alcohol might contain gluten. However, as any grain source alcohol used by Fleichmann's Vinegar for making white distilled vinegar is triple distilled, to the best of our knowledge no gluten is present."
Modified food starch is not an ingredient currently used in Mezzetta brand products. Natural flavors containing hydrogenated vegetable protein are not currently used in Mezzetta brand products. To our knowledge, spices used in Mezzetta brand products are whole or dried and do not contain anti-caking agents. Carmel coloring is used in Mezzetta Brand Sweet Petite Gherkins and is shown as an ingredient on the label.
Mezzetta brand products that do not contain white distilled vinegar but rather citric acid or lactic acid as an acidifier include the following: Roasted Red Bell Peppers, Roasted Yellow & Red Sweet Peppers, Roasted Jalapeno Peppers, Spanish and Spanish Style Olives, Jalapeno Stuffed Olives, Garlic Stuffed Olives, Salad Olives, Nicoise Olives, Sun Ripened Dried Tomatoes, Grape Leaves and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Our Mezzetta brand Cream Style Horseradish contains sugar, soybean oil, vinegar, egg yolk, lemon juice, salt, sodium benzoate and sodium bisulfate, along with spices.