FACT CHECK: Did Ragú Release A Peppermint Alfredo Pasta Sauce?

An image shared on Facebook purportedly shows a peppermint alfredo sauce released by the Ragú sauce brand.

Verdict: False

There is no record of Ragú releasing peppermint alfredo pasta sauce. The image appears to have been digitally fabricated, likely as a joke.

Fact Check:

Featured in the image is what looks like a holiday-themed Ragú peppermint alfredo pasta sauce, with the jar adorned with candy canes, peppermints and pieces of cheese. One iteration garnered over 1,600 shares on Facebook before being deleted. (RELATED: Did Ben & Jerry’s Release A New Ice Cream Flavor In Honor Of Joseph Rosenbaum?)

The sauce flavor, however, is not real. Peppermint alfredo pasta sauce is not among the many sauces available on Ragú’s official website. The brand has made no mention of a peppermint alfredo pasta sauce on its verified Facebook or Twitter accounts, nor has it announced a “limited edition” run of such a sauce in any press releases. The most recent press release available on the Ragú website, titled “RAGÚ® Unveils Major Relaunch With Humorous, New ‘Cook Like A Mother’ Ad Campaign And Brand Redesign” and dated Nov. 15, does not include any references to peppermint alfredo sauce.

The image of the fake peppermint alfredo flavor appears to be based on that of Ragú’s classic alfredo sauce product, likely as a festive joke. The candy canes, peppermints and hints of red in the sauce seem to have been digitally edited onto the classic alfredo jar.

The Ragú brand falls under the umbrella of the company Mizkan America. In an email to Check Your Fact, Deborah Cross, director of communications for Mizkan America, confirmed they “have NOT launched this product and have no plans at this time to do so.”

“Our guess is that a holiday elf, having some fun on social media, may have come up with the peppermint-alfredo-sauce concept,” she went on to say. “And while it’s certainly festive and creative, it might not be a fan favorite at mealtimes.”

Though it appears that the image was likely originally created as a joke, the Facebook post’s caption does not make that clear, and some users seem to have mistaken it for a real product.

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