The U.S. Food & Drug Administration has issued an urgent update about a mass recall concerning more than 1.5 million bags of shredded cheese.
The Great Lakes Cheese Co. Inc. of Hiram, Ohio, initially issued a voluntary recall on Oct. 3 over possible contamination of metal fragments, which pose a risk of internal injury if eaten.
On Dec. 1, the FDA reclassified the recall’s risk level to “Class II” to signify that consuming the products “may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences.”
The affected shredded cheese products came in five different varieties and were sold under dozens of brand names at Target, Walmart, Aldi and other major retailers across the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
Read on to learn more about the recall.
Which Shredded Cheese Products Were Recalled?
The affected products include five different styles of shredded cheeses sold in various sizes and with various best-by dates under the following brand names:
Shredded Mozzarella CheeseAlways Save Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseBorden Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseBorden Thick Cut Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseBrookshire’s Finely Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseBrookshire’s Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese Brookshire’s Thick Cut Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseCache Valley Creamery Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseChestnut Hill Fancy Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseCoburn Farms Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese Econo Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseFood Club Finely Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseFood Club Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseFood Lion Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseGold Rush Creamery Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseGood & Gather Fine Cut Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseGood & Gather Classic Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseGreat Lakes Cheese Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseGreat Lakes Cheese Finely Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseHappy Farms by Aldi Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseH-E-B Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseH-E-B Thick Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseH-E-B Shredded/Fancy Finamente Rallado Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseHill Country Fare Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseKnow & Love Fine Cut Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseKnow & Love Classic Cut Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseKnow & Love Thick Cut Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseLaura Lynn Finely Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseLaura Lynn Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseLaura Lynn Thick Cut Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseLucerne Dairy Farms Finely Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseLucerne Dairy Farms Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseLucerene Dairy Farms Rustic Cut Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseNu Farm Fancy Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheesePublix Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseSchuck’s Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseSimply Go Classic Cut Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseSimply Go Rustic Cut Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseSprouts Farmers Market Finely Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseSprouts Farmers Market Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseStatre Bros. Markets Finely Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseStater Bros. Markets Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseSunnyside Farms Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella CheeseShredded Italian-Style CheeseHappy Farms by Aldi Italian-Style Shredded CheeseBrookshire’s Italian 6 Cheese Finely ShreddedCache Valley Creamery Six Cheese Italian Finely ShreddedCoburn Farms Italian Style Finely ShreddedGreat Value Italian Style Finely ShreddedKnow & Love Italian Style Fine CutLaura Lynn Italian Blend Finely ShreddedPublix Italian Six Cheese Blend Fancy ShreddedSimply Go Italian Style Six Cheese Blend Fine Cut ShreddedShredded Pizza-Style CheeseFood Club Finely Shredded Pizza Style Four Cheese BlendEcono Pizza ShreddedFood Club Pizza Style Two Cheese Blend Finely ShreddedFood Club Pizza Style Two Cheese Blend ShreddedGold Rush Creamery Pizza Blend ShreddedGreat Value Pizza Blend ShreddedLaura Lynn Pizza Blend Finely ShreddedSimply Go Pizza Blend Two Cheese Mix Classic Cut ShreddedMozzarella and Provolone Shredded Cheese BlendFreedom’s Choice Pizza Blend Fine-CutGood & Gather Mozzarella & Provolone ClassicGreat Lakes Cheese Mozzarella & Provolone ShreddedGreat Value Provolone & Mozzarella Blend ShreddedMozzarella and Parmesan Shredded Cheese BlendGood & Gather Mozzarella & Parmesan Shredded Cheese Blend
A full list of the products, their sizes, UPCs and best-by dates can be found on the official FDA website.
Why Were the Products Recalled?
The products were recalled over potential contamination with metal fragments, which can cause internal injury if eaten.
Where Were the Products Sold?
The shredded cheese products were sold at at Aldi, Target, Walmart and other major retailers in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Puerto Rico.
What to Do If You Purchased Affected Products
The FDA urges consumers who purchased the affected products not to eat them.
Consumers should throw away the products — including any they may have placed in their freezers — or return the products to the place of purchase for a refund.
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