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                                                                     EXHIBIT 23

                              ACCOUNTANTS' CONSENT



     We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration
Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 2-51719) of the H. J. Heinz Company Employees
Retirement and Savings Plan of our report dated June 15, 2001 relating to the
financial statements of the H. J. Heinz Company Employees Retirement and Savings
Plan which appears in this Form 11-K.


                                              /s/  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP




Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
June 28, 2001






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