FDA issues major recall of 1.5 million bags of shredded cheese — key details revealed

Food recalls in the past couple of years have been frequent, and while people face inconvenience, it isn't new for them. But it does cause a hassle when consumers have to return products or throw them away during the holiday season. The latest of these recalls affected more than 1.5 million bags of shredded cheese that were sold in Walmart and Target. Earlier, The Great Lakes Cheese Co. Inc. of Hiram, Ohio, issued a voluntary recall. That was ramped up to the Class I risk level, which means that if consumed, this product might cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences.

Great Lakes Cheese calls itself the nation’s largest cheese packager. So, it is not surprising that this shredded cheese was sold in a lot of different types of products. A report in TODAY shows the full list of products that might have been affected. The cheese was contaminated with metal fragments, which sounds like a mishap during the packaging process, but one can never be sure.

The packager’s product was sold across several major retailers like Aldi, Target, and Walmart. Multiple states could be affected: 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. The report also states that these products were sold on the other side of the border in Puerto Rico as well.

The FDA has urged customers who might have purchased these products to either throw them away or bring them back to the retailer for a refund. This holiday season has seen a lot of product recalls, especially when it comes to food. It’s a worrying sign that points towards the safety and quality of some of these products on the shelves. Recently, another popular product sold at Walmart was recalled.

People with a peanut allergy were told to stay away from Ritz Crackers' Cheese Cracker Sandwiches and to return them. It turns out that Mondelez Global LLC recalled these crackers due to a massive labeling error. The product inside these packages would be the Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches. The FDA was quick to act, as this was a serious concern.

A severe peanut butter allergy can lead to death, so it’s no wonder that the federal body slapped a “Class I” warning on it. Walmart was the only retailer that sold these products, and the states affected were Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania.

"Consumers who have a peanut allergy should not eat these products and should discard any product identified in the grid above. Consumers can contact the company at 1-844-366-1171 Monday–Friday, 9 am to 6 pm ET. This recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration," a Mondelez Global statement read.

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