An extensive recall of shredded cheese is underway due to the possibility that it contains metal fragments. According to a report by the US Food and Drug Administration, the cheeses were distributed in 31 states and Puerto Rico, with many of them sold at popular retailers such as Aldi, Target and Walmart.
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The reason listed for the recall is “potential metal fragments from supplier raw material,” and Great Lakes Cheese from Hiram, Ohio, is the company behind the recall.
In a news release provided to CNET, Great Lakes Cheese stated that the recall was related to an incident in October when the cheese supplier “notified us that they were recalling cheese they had supplied to us due to foreign material.” The bulk of the recalled cheeses — which includes 235,789 cases — are low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella shredded cheese packaged in individually plastic bags. Those recalled cheeses are:
- Always Save – Shredded, 5 lb., UPC 7003865782, 4/case
- Borden – Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 5300007162 6 or 12/case
- Borden – Thick Cut, 8 oz., UPC 5300007170, 6/case 3
- Brookshire’s – Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 9282510119, 12/case
- Brookshire’s – Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 9282510120, 12/case
- Brookshire’s – Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 9282510130, 6/case
- Brookshire’s – Thick Cut, 8 oz., UPC 9282592197, 12/case 4
- Cache Valley Creamery – Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 7495802553, 6 or 12/case
- Chestnut Hill – Fancy Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 3225116742, 6/case
- Coburn Farms – Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 5193331657, 12/case
- Coburn Farms – Shredded, 12 oz., UPC 5193321820, 18/case
- Coburn Farms – Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 5193334257, 6/case
- Econo – Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 893800294, 12/case
- Food Club – Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 3680045573, 12/case
- Food Club – Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 3680005117, 12/case
- Food Club – Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 3680005144, 12/case
- Food Club – Shredded, 32 oz., tube-style bag, UPC 3680012914, 6/case, case UPC 3680041215
- Food Club – Shredded, 32 oz., square-style bag, UPC 3680038305, 6/case
- Food Lion – Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 3582609008, 12/case
- Gold Rush Creamery – Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 1401401014, 12/case
- Gold Rush Creamery – Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 1401401030, 6/case
- Good & Gather – Fine Cut, 8 oz., UPC 8523903860, 12/case
- Good & Gather – Classic, 8 oz., UPC 8523903849, 12/case
- Good & Gather – Classic, 32 oz., UPC 8523903852, 6/case
- Great Lakes Cheese – Shredded, 5 lb., UPC 3651415034, 4/case
- Great Value – Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 7874237425, 6/case
- Great Value – Finely Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 7874204492, 5/case
- Great Value – Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 7874235317, 6/case
- Great Value – Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 7874235321, 5/case
- Great Value – Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 7874237475, 6/case
- Great Value – Shredded, 5 lb., UPC 7874204980, 4/case
- Happy Farms by Aldi – Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 4061463330864, 12/case
- Happy Farms by Aldi – Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 4061463369413, 8/case
- H-E-B – Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 4122022272, 12/case
- H-E-B – Thick, 8 oz., UPC 4122061295, 12/case
- H-E-B – Shredded/Fancy Finamente Rallado, 8 oz., UPC 4122006759, 12/case (distributed for sale in Mexico only)
- Hill Country Fare – Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 4122018977
- Hill Country Fare – Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 4122016234
- Hill Country Fare – Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 4122042334
- Hill Country Fare – Shredded, 5 lb., UPC 4122082998
- Hill Country Fare – Shredded/Rallado, 8 oz., UPC 4122024512 (distributed for sale in Mexico only)
- Know & Love – Fine Cut, 8 oz., UPC 788030650
- Know & Love – Fine Cut, 16 oz., UPC 788030657
- Know & Love – Classic Cut, 8 oz., UPC 788030659
- Know & Love – Classic Cut, 32 oz., UPC 788030658
- Know & Love – Thick Cut, 8 oz., UPC 788030678
- Laura Lynn – Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 8685401031
- Laura Lynn – Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 8685400824
- Laura Lynn – Shredded, 12 oz., UPC 8685400815
- Laura Lynn – Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 8685406528
- Laura Lynn – Thick Cut Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 8685407109
- Lucerne Dairy Farms – Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 2113004867
- Lucerne Dairy Farms – Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 2113004259
- Lucerne Dairy Farms – Shredded Family Size, 32 oz., UPC 2113004741
- Lucerne Dairy Farms – Rustic Cut, 8 oz., UPC 2113004944, 12/case
- Lucerne Dairy Farms – Rustic Cut Family Size, 32 oz., UPC 2113004949
- Nu Farm – Fancy Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 3104100151
- Publix – Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 4141511665
- Publix – Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 4141523365
- Schnuck’s – Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 4131858010
- Simply Go – Classic Cut Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 1015983021
- Simply Go – Classic Cut Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 1015983020
- Simply Go – Rustic Cut Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 1015983040
- Sprouts Farmers Market – Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 4667052284
- Sprouts Farmers Market – Shredded Value Pack, 32 oz., UPC 4667052279
- Stater Bros. Markets – Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 7417546413
- Stater Bros. Markets – Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 7417546402
- Stater Bros. Markets – Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 7417546435
- Sunnyside Farms – Shredded, 16 oz., UPC 1754450204
- Sunnyside Farms – Shredded, 32 oz., UPC 1754450057
Other recalled cheeses, which include Italian-style shredded cheese blends, pizza-style shredded cheese, mozzarella and provolone blends and a mozzarella and parmesan blend, can be found in the FDA announcement.
Great Lakes Cheese stated in the release that “all recalled products have been removed from markets and replaced with new products,” adding that “the products currently on retail shelves are safe to consume and not associated with the October recall.” However, you should still check to see if you purchased any of the recalled cheeses.
Where was the cheese sold?
The states where the recalled cheeses were distributed include Alabama, Arkansa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin as well as Puerto Rico.
What to do if you have cheese that has been recalled?
You can return recalled cheeses to the retailer you bought them from to receive a refund.
In regard to the FDA releasing the recall information this month, Great Lakes Cheese stated, “While the status of the recall is marked as ongoing in the enforcement report, our records show all product has been fully removed from store shelves. Any households with any of the affected items from October in their refrigerators or freezers should discard the product or return it to the store where it was purchased for a refund.”
