HIRAM, Ohio — Great Lakes Cheese Co. has issued a voluntary multi-state recall of several shredded cheese products after the company discovered that batches may contain small metal fragments.
The recall, initiated on Oct. 3 and still active, affects multiple brands and varieties of shredded mozzarella and blended cheeses sold in more than 30 states and Puerto Rico. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified the incident as a Class II recall, meaning the products could cause temporary or medically reversible health issues but are unlikely to lead to severe harm.
According to the FDA, the affected items span a wide range of retailers and private-label brands, including Always Save, Borden, Happy Farms by Aldi, Brookshire’s, Cache Valley Creamery, Coburn Farms, Great Value, Food Club, Econo, Freedom’s Choice and Good & Gather. All recalled products were packaged in plastic bags with specific universal product codes and batch codes tied to sell-by dates from January of this year through March 2026.
Product Details
#Product DescriptionRecall NumberClassificationCode InformationProduct QuantityReason for Recall1Low-moisture part-skim mozzarella shredded cheese, individually packaged in a plastic bag, as:1) Always Save more…H-0215-2026Class IIBatch/Sell By Date: 1) Always Save 0008909996 2/15/2026 0008918166 2/20/2026 0008916368 2/22/2026 2) Borden more…235,789 casesPotential metal fragments from supplier raw material (downstream recall)2Happy Farms by Aldi Italian Style shredded cheese blend (containing low-moisture part-skim mozzarella, not-smoked provolone, romano, asiago & parmesan finely shredded cheeses), 12 oz., individually packaged in a plastic bag, UPC 4061463330949, 6/combo case also containing 6 bags of Taco Style productH-0216-2026Class IIBatch/Sell By Date: 0008922982 2/22/2026 0008926344 2/23/20261,900 casesPotential metal fragments from supplier raw material (downstream recall)3Italian style shredded cheese blend (containing low-moisture part-skim mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, romano, fontina and asiago cheese), individually packaged in a plastic bag, as:1) Brookshire’s Italian 6-Cheese- more…H-0217-2026Class IIBatch/Sell By Date: 1) Brookshire’s 1500562884 2/14/2026 2) Cache Valley Creamery 0008905387 2/5/2026 3) Coburn Farms 0008913690 2/15/2026 4) Great Value – Finely Shredded (8 oz.): 0008914472 2/12/2026 0008910495 2/13/2026 0008913930 2/16/2026 0008918115 more…15,490 casesPotential metal fragments from supplier raw material (downstream recall)4Food Club Finely Shredded Pizza Style Four Cheese Blend (containing low-moisture part-skim mozzarella, not-smoked provolone, parmesan & romano cheeses), 8 oz., packaged individually in a plastic bag, UPC 3680017231, 12/caseH-0218-2026Class IIBatch/Sell By Date: 0008917666 3/21/2026117 casesPotential metal fragments from supplier raw material (downstream recall)5Pizza style shredded cheese blend (containing low-moisture part-skim mozzarella and mild cheddar cheeses), individually packaged in a plastic bag as:1) Econo Pizza- Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 893800297, 12/case2) Food Club Pizza Style Two Cheese Blend- Finely Shredded, 8 oz., UPC 3680012422, 12/case – Shredded, 32 oz., square-style bag, UPC 3680044487, more…H-0219-2026Class IIBatch/Sell By Date: 1) Econo 0008924428 3/18/2026 2) Food Club – Finely Shredded: 0008911974 2/13/2026 0008916578 2/21/2026 – Shredded (32 oz. UPC 3680044487): 0008902277 2/6/2026 0008884224 2/13/2026 – Shredded (32 oz. UPC 3680048197): 0008924031 2/23/2026 3) Gold Rush Creamery 0008912889 3/15/2026 4) Great Value 0008913974 2/14/2026 1500565689 2/15/2026 0008918844 2/20/2026 more…4,298 casesPotential metal fragments from supplier raw material (downstream recall)6Mozzarella and provolone shredded cheese blend (containing low-moisture part-skim mozzarella and not-smoked provolone cheeses), individually packaged in a plastic bag, as:1) Freedom’s Choice Pizza Blend- Fine-Cut, 32 oz., UPC 4279810410, 6/case2) Good & Gather Mozzarella & Provolone- Classic, 8 oz., UPC 8 more…H-0220-2026Class IIBatch/Sell By Date: 1) Freedom’s Choice 0008922161 2/22/2026 2) Good & Gather 0008904402 3/14/2026 3) Great Lakes Cheese 1500562637 1/14/2026 0008901792 1/15/2026 4) Great Value 1500558204 2/7/2026 0008911238 2/12/2026 0008922240 2/19/2026 0008915069 2/20/20264,131 casesPotential metal fragments from supplier raw material (downstream recall)7Good & Gather Mozzarella & Parmesan shredded cheese blend, Fine Cut, 8 oz., individually packaged in a plastic bag, UPC 8523903856, 12/caseH-0221-2026Class IIBatch/Sell By Date: 0008909918 3/15/2026 0008915148 3/21/2026 0008917542 3/22/20261,850 casesPotential metal fragments from supplier raw material (downstream recall)
The FDA said in total, more than 263,000 cases of cheese were pulled from distribution after the company traced the issue to contaminated raw materials supplied earlier in production. While no injuries have been reported, the recall notice states that the potential presence of metal fragments prompted swift action from the manufacturer to prevent consumer risk.
The products were shipped to retailers across the country. The affected states include Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorada, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisianan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
“Italian cheeses are an important part my kitchen,” said Paris Wolfe, food reporter for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. “I buy mine from local cheese mongers — like vendors at the West Side Market — and have them shredded there or shred them at home. That way they’re fresh, full of flavor and I avoid contaminants.”
Dining and Cooking