A recall of Grandma Belle’s Tomato Basil Soup in 14 states by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has spotlighted processed tomato ingredients.
The December 12, 2025 recall declared the product by Lil’ Turtles as likely to contain “undeclared milk” allergic to people with milk sensitivity.
Recalls are for the 17-ounce bottle with batch dates of September 23, 2022 to December 3, 2025.
Customers with milk allergies who purchased the product ought to dump it and contact Lil’ Turtles for replacement.
Affected states include Minnesota, Utah, Oklahoma, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Indiana.
Allergic Tomato Soup Ingredients
The recall draws to attention the many ingredients that constitute over-the-counter condensed tomato soup.
Since 1897 when Campbell’s tomato soup went commercial in the United States, various products with diverse spices have come up.
Some of these use European recipes with such spices as onions sugared in caramel, natural thyme and sometimes fresh cream.
Cream in particular can be a cause of allergy especially in babies with milk sensitivity. According to the latest recall alert, reactions in such soups include hypersensitivity, where the body treats milk as toxic.
In adults, milk allergies range from breathing difficulties to feeling dizzy, sudden down swings in blood pressure, eczema and fainting.
Tomatoes themselves as primary ingredients in the soup have common allergic reactions such as rashes, sneezes and coughs.
Most tomato allergy symptoms appear immediately after consumption, which helps in early treatment terms.
It is for this reason that commercial companies alert the FDA if their processed tomato products contain reactants. This not only protects consumer health but safeguards the sizeable federal processed tomato industry, which is the focus of the below stats.
United States Processed Tomato Industry Statistics
The U.S.’ processed tomato industry had a market size of $2.025 billion in 2024, according to Market Research Future. Researchers at the agency expected the size to hit $3.118 billion by 2035 at a compounded growth rate of 4%, beginning 2025. All this owes to growth at home for niche products like sauces and exports of condensed products.
Domestic sales of various foods including tomato products via e-commerce represented 15% of food retail in the U.S. in 2023. That same year, the United States earned above $700 million in tomato product exports due to growing foreign demand. Driving the sales were sauces, soups, and purees, which brought 2023’s tomato product sale volumes to about 2.5 million tonnes.
How big is the fresh tomato market in the U.S.?
The federal fresh tomato market is divided into fresh and processed niches. In 2015, processed tomatoes were worth $1.39 billion while fresh tomatoes $1.22 billion, according to the University of Florida.
In the November 2023-October 2024 yearly period, the federal market absorbed over 2.664 billion pounds (lbs) of fresh tomato trade, including imports. The volumes were almost similar to those of the corresponding 2022-23 timeline at approximately 2.676 billion lbs.