27 brands are included in the recall. Check your fridge for these bags of shredded cheese.
If you were planning on having a taco bar or pizza night this week, double-check the cheese in your refrigerator. In October, Great Lakes Cheese discovered that certain bags of its shredded cheese may contain small metal fragments. On December 2, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) upgraded the risk to Class II. Here’s everything we know so far.
What caused the recall?
According to the FDA, Great Lakes Cheese discovered that small metal fragments had accidentally made their way into the product during processing. In October, the issue was discovered and traced to a supplier. This is when the recall was initiated.
On December 2, the FDA assigned a Class II risk assessment to the recall. This indicates that exposure to the product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health effects. The possibility of serious health effects is remote. No injuries have been reported so far.
What stores sold the recalled shredded cheese?
Great Lakes Cheese supplies many popular private-label cheese brands, which means the affected bags were sold at major retailers across the country. The shredded cheese was sold at Target, Aldi, Walmart, Kroger, H-E-B, Publix and other grocery stores. If you frequently purchase shredded cheese, then you should check it out.
This affects cheese sold in Puerto Rico and 31 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
How do I know if I have a recalled shredded cheese?
Great Lakes Cheese makes a lot of cheese. The recall includes several brands and varieties.
These are the brands that have been affected:
- Always Save
- Borden
- Brookshire’s
- Cache Valley Creamery
- Chestnut Hill
- Coburn Farms
- Econo
- Food Club
- Food Lion
- Freedom’s Choice
- Gold Rush Creamery
- Good & Gather
- Great Lakes Cheese
- Great Value
- Happy Farms by Aldi
- H-E-B
- Hill Country Fare
- Know & Love
- Laura Lynn
- Lucerne Dairy Farms
- Nu Farm
- Publix
- Schnuck’s
- Simply Go
- Sprouts Farmers Market
- Stater Bros. Markets
- Sunnyside Farms
The sell-by dates range from January to March 2026. If you have any bags of shredded cheese from these brands, you can check the FDA recall list to see if it’s been included in the recall.
What should I do next?
If you have one of the recalled bags, don’t eat the cheese. Throw it away, or bring it back to your store for a refund. Because metal fragments aren’t always visible, it’s safest not to take any chances. If you have consumed the cheese and feel sick, seek medical attention.
