Jessie’s Lemon Meringue Pie Recall Lawsuit | 2026 Latest Updates

Jessie Lord Bakery, LLC of Torrance, California, started a voluntary recall of its lemon meringue pie products on August 20, 2025. The FDA classified it as Class II. The pies carry the Jessie’s, First Street or HEB Bakery name. The reason was undeclared Yellow 5 in the pies. Look for lots 24050-25231 and the February 19, 2027 best by date. Compare the codes and dates on your pie with the list below. The FDA enforcement record now lists the recall as Terminated, with a termination date of March 31, 2026. That record names no illnesses or injuries and gives no consumer instruction. Ask the bakery about a return or refund.

Latest Jessie’s Lemon Meringue Pie Recall Updates

March 31, 2026: FDA Terminates the Recall

The FDA enforcement record lists the Jessie Lord Bakery lemon meringue pie recall as Terminated. The termination date in the record is March 31, 2026 [1]. The record gives no reason for the termination and no consumer instruction.

September 10, 2025: FDA Lists the Recall in Its Enforcement Report

The FDA listed the recall, number H-0568-2025, in its Enforcement Report. The report date for the record is September 10, 2025. The listing followed the Class II classification of September 4, 2025. The same FDA enforcement record names Jessie Lord Bakery, LLC as the recalling firm. It counts 136,252 cases of product rather than individual pies. It also lists retail distribution in 14 states.

September 4, 2025: FDA Classifies the Recall as Class II

The FDA classified the recall as Class II on September 4, 2025. The definition describes the class and says nothing about these particular pies. The FDA’s Class II definition describes a situation where use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote [2].

August 20, 2025: Jessie Lord Bakery Starts a Voluntary Recall

On August 20, 2025, Jessie Lord Bakery, LLC began a voluntary, firm-initiated recall of its pies. The firm’s initial notification was by letter. The record lists three brands: Jessie’s, First Street and HEB Bakery.

What Is Yellow 5?

According to the FDA color additives Q&A, FD&C Yellow No. 5 is one of nine certified color additives approved for use in food. Certified color additives are synthetic colorings that must be certified batch by batch [3]. The FDA lists Yellow No. 5 for confections, cereals, snack foods, beverages, condiments, baked goods and yogurt. The FDA’s drug regulation also lists it as tartrazine.

Which Jessie’s Lemon Meringue Pies Are Affected?

The FDA record lists these pies:

• Lemon Meringue Pie, 8-inch round, net weight 27 oz, refrigerate after opening: item code 31811, UPC 8 85523 31811 1
• Jessie’s Lemon Meringue Pie Sugar Free: item code 30811, UPC 8 85523 30811 2
• Jessie’s Lemon Meringue Pie: item code 08276, UPC 0 41512 08275 7
• First Street Lemon Meringue Pie: item code 84232, UPC 000 41220 84232 2
• HEB Bakery Lemon Meringue Pie: no item code or UPC listed in the FDA record

The record lists lots 24050-25231 and a best by date of February 19, 2027. It does not say which product lines each lot range covers. The FDA record lists retail distribution in Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Why Were Jessie’s Lemon Meringue Pies Recalled?

Jessie’s Lemon Meringue Pie was recalled because the pies contain Yellow 5 that was not declared. The FDA record gives no test result, no cause for the missing declaration and no number of pies tested. Under 21 CFR 101.22(k), the label of a food with any coloring added must declare the coloring in the statement of ingredients [4]. The FDA record does not cite this rule as the basis for the recall. A certified color additive is declared by the name listed in the color additive regulation. The “FD&C” prefix and the term “No.” are not required in that declaration.

Reported Incidents, Injuries, or Illnesses

The FDA record lists no illnesses or injuries. That record has no field for consumer complaints or reactions, so it counts no reports. That is not a finding that no one had a reaction. The FDA’s warning statement for Yellow No. 5 in prescription drugs says it may cause allergic-type reactions in certain susceptible persons, and that the overall incidence of sensitivity in the general population is low [5]. That warning also says the sensitivity is frequently seen in patients who also have aspirin hypersensitivity. It is not a food-recall symptom list or a finding about the pies that were recalled.

What Should Consumers Do?

The FDA enforcement record gives no consumer instruction, so use these steps to check your pie and ask for help:

1. Check the pie’s item code, UPC, lot number and best by date against the affected list above.
2. Contact Jessie Lord Bakery at 21100 S Western Ave, Torrance, CA 90501, or (310) 533-6010, with questions about a return or refund.
3. Watch for the symptoms the FDA names in its Yellow No. 5 warning for prescription drugs: allergic-type reactions, such as bronchial asthma.
4. Report any problem or reaction to the FDA by calling 1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332) and following the prompts, or through the FDA SmartHub webpage [6].

Legal Options

No lawsuit or class action over this recall appears in the federal dockets on CourtListener [7]. Whether a person has a claim depends on their own facts and needs an individual legal review. A recall does not automatically show that anyone is liable or that a consumer is owed compensation. It is a food safety action about an undeclared ingredient.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is a Firm-Initiated Recall?

A firm-initiated recall is one that a firm conducts on its own initiative. The FDA describes recalls as actions taken by a firm to remove a product from the market and says they may also be conducted by FDA request or by FDA order.

Is There a Jessie’s Lemon Meringue Pie Recall Lawsuit or Class Action?

A Jessie’s lemon meringue pie recall lawsuit or class action does not appear on CourtListener. The only federal dockets naming Jessie Lord Bakery are two unrelated bankruptcy cases, Country Home Bakers in 2003 and Central Grocers in 2017, where it appears as a creditor or contact.

What Are the Symptoms of Yellow 5 Sensitivity?

The symptoms of Yellow 5 sensitivity in the FDA’s warning for prescription drugs, 21 CFR 74.1705(c)(3), are allergic-type reactions, including bronchial asthma, in certain susceptible persons. This drug-labeling warning is not a finding about these pies.

Can I Tell from the Label Whether My Pie Has Yellow 5?

You may not be able to tell from the label whether your pie has Yellow 5, because the recall is for undeclared Yellow 5. The FDA says a label must list the names of any FDA-certified color additive.

How Do I Report a Problem with a Food to the FDA?

To report a problem with a food to the FDA when you use a Relay Service, call the Federal Relay Services at 800-877-8339. The FDA says all of its Centers now directly receive reports of problems or adverse reactions with FDA-regulated products.

Where Is the Item Code on a Jessie’s Lemon Meringue Pie?

The FDA record does not say where the item code appears on a Jessie’s lemon meringue pie. It lists the codes but not their place on the package, so compare every number on your pie with the affected list.

References

1. https://api.fda.gov/food/enforcement.json?search=recalling_firm:%22Jessie+Lord%22&limit=20
2. https://www.fda.gov/safety/industry-guidance-recalls/recalls-background-and-definitions
3. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/color-additives-questions-and-answers-consumers
4. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-B/section-101.22
5. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-A/part-74/subpart-B/section-74.1705
6. https://www.fda.gov/safety/report-problem-fda/consumer-complaint-coordinators
7. https://www.courtlistener.com/?q=%22Jessie+Lord+Bakery%22&type=r