FDA Classifies Lidl Gelato Recall as Class I

Lidl US Trading's recall of 1,122 units of Gelatelli gelato over Listeria contamination has been designated the agency's most serious category.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Organic Food

Gouache-painted editorial illustration of a single pale cream scoop of gelato on a cool slate surface, with a faint wisp of cold vapor. — The FDA classified Lidl US Trading's recall of 1,122 units of Gelatelli gelato as Class I, its most serious category, after a Listeria monocytogenes positive test. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The FDA classified Lidl US Trading's recall of 1,122 units of Gelatelli Naturally Flavored Coffee & Vanilla Gelato as Class I, its most serious category, after a positive test for Listeria monocytogenes. Lidl initiated the recall on October 16, and the FDA assigned the designation on November 3.

Why it matters

A Class I designation signals a reasonable probability that consuming the product could cause serious health consequences or death, making it a priority for consumers who may have purchased the gelato. The recall affects shoppers in multiple states across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, including the United States capital region.

The recalled product is Gelatelli Naturally Flavored Coffee & Vanilla Gelato with Coffee Sauce & Cookie Pieces, UPC 4 056489 722458, lot number 085261, best by March 26, 2028. No termination date for the recall has been listed.

The players

Lidl US Trading

The Arlington, Virginia-based U.S. arm of the German grocery chain Lidl, which operates discount supermarkets across the United States.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

The federal agency responsible for food safety oversight, which assigns recall classifications ranging from Class I, the most serious, to Class III.

The details

Lidl US Trading, based in Arlington, Virginia, initiated the voluntary recall after the product tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. Affected products were shipped to Washington, D.C., Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia between July 19 and October 15.

July 19 to October 15: Recalled gelato shipped to ten states and D.C.
October 16: Lidl initiates the voluntary recall after the positive Listeria test.
November 3: FDA assigns the Class I designation to the recall.

Culture Shift

Under the FDA's three-tier recall classification, a Class I designation marks the highest risk level, placing this Listeria-contaminated Lidl gelato among the most serious food safety actions the agency tracks. Consumer demand for convenient frozen dessert products has grown alongside stricter enforcement of pathogen testing in refrigerated foods.

Shoppers who purchased Gelatelli Coffee & Vanilla Gelato in 16-ounce containers, especially with UPC 4 056489 722458 or lot 085261, should not eat it and should return it or discard it. Listeria can cause serious illness, so anyone who ate the product and feels unwell should contact a healthcare provider promptly.

The takeaway

Checking product lot numbers and UPC codes against recall notices can help consumers avoid contaminated frozen foods. Keeping receipts and following recall alerts makes it easier to return or replace affected items.