Over 1 Million Bags Of Shredded Cheese Recalled Over Metal Particles, Listeria

A nationwide recall of shredded cheese products that may contain metal fragments raises concern over the possible risks of intestinal injury or illness. Luciano Spinelli/Stocksy

• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a recall for over 1 million bags of shredded cheese due to the possible presence of metal particles or Listeria. 
• The recalled products were sold at national retailers, including Walmart, Aldi, Publix, Target, and Ambriola, among others. 
• The recall affects 64 different cheese products and spans 32 states and regions.

The Food and Drug Administration issued an active recall for over 1.5 million bags of shredded cheese products due to the potential presence of metal fragments or Listeria contamination.

On December 1, the FDA elevated the recall to a Class II, meaning “a situation in which use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.”

The cheeses affected by the recall may have metal fragments from the suppliers’ raw materials. This may pose a risk of intestinal injury or illness to consumers; however, no illnesses or deaths have been reported to date.

According to the FDA, the shredded cheese products were distributed to major retail stores, including Walmart, Aldi, Publix, and Target, as well as other distributors, between November 3 and 20.

Great Lakes Cheese issued a recall of roughly half a dozen types of shredded cheeses in early October due to the possibility of containing metal fragments.

The Ambriola Company announced a recall on November 25 for some of its products after routine testing confirmed the presence of Listeria, which can lead to potentially life threatening infections.

“We take food safety very seriously and immediately alerted stores and distributors to remove the affected products from shelves,” Ambriola CEO Phil Marfuggi said in a statement. “We are working closely with the FDA and continuing to test our products and facilities to fully understand the situation.”

Healthline reached out to various retailers, such as Walmart, Aldi, and Target, but the companies couldn’t be reached for comment. 

All affected products can be identified by the UPC and batch code.

If you have any shredded cheese that matches this information, it’s recommended that you either dispose of it or return it to the retailer where you purchased it for a potential refund. 

Which shredded cheese products are being recalled?

The following is a list of the 64 products that are affected by this recall: 

• Always Save Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Borden Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Borden Thick Cut Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Brookshire’s Finely Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Brookshire’s Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese 
• Brookshire’s Thick Cut Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Brookshire’s Italian Six-Cheese Finely Shredded
• Cache Valley Creamery Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Cache Valley Creamery Six-Cheese Italian Finely Shredded
• Chestnut Hill Fancy Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Coburn Farms Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese 
• Coburn Farms Italian-Style Finely Shredded
• Econo Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Econo Pizza Shredded
• Food Club Finely Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Food Club Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Food Club Finely Shredded Pizza Style Four Cheese Blend
• Food Club Pizza Style Two Cheese Blend Finely Shredded
• Food Club Pizza Style Two Cheese Blend Shredded
• Food Lion Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Freedom’s Choice Pizza Blend Fine-Cut
• Gold Rush Creamery Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Gold Rush Creamery Pizza Blend Shredded
• Good & Gather Fine Cut Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Good & Gather Classic Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Good & Gather Mozzarella & Provolone Classic
• Good & Gather Mozzarella & Parmesan Shredded Cheese Blend
• Great Lakes Cheese Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Great Lakes Cheese Finely Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Great Lakes Cheese Mozzarella & Provolone Shredded
• Great Value Italian Style Finely Shredded
• Great Value Pizza Blend Shredded
• Great Value Provolone & Mozzarella Blend Shredded
• Happy Farms by Aldi Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Happy Farms by Aldi Italian-Style Shredded Cheese
• H-E-B Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• H-E-B Thick Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• H-E-B Shredded/Fancy Finamente Rallado Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Hill Country Fare Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Know & Love Fine Cut Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Know & Love Classic Cut Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Know & Love Thick Cut Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Know & Love Italian Style Fine Cut
• Laura Lynn Finely Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Laura Lynn Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Laura Lynn Thick Cut Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Laura Lynn Italian Blend Finely Shredded
• Laura Lynn Pizza Blend Finely Shredded
• Lucerne Dairy Farms Finely Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Lucerne Dairy Farms Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Lucerne Dairy Farms Rustic Cut Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Nu Farm Fancy Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Publix Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Publix Italian Six Cheese Blend Fancy Shredded
• Schuck’s Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Simply Go Classic Cut Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Simply Go Rustic Cut Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Simply Go Italian Style Six Cheese Blend Fine Cut Shredded
• Simply Go Pizza Blend Two Cheese Mix Classic Cut Shredded
• Sprouts Farmers Market Finely Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Sprouts Farmers Market Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Stater Bros. Markets Finely Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Stater Bros. Markets Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
• Sunnyside Farms Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese

These products were sold in the following states and regions: 

• Alabama
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Florida
• Georgia
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Puerto Rico
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Virgina
• Washington
• Wisconsin

Dangers of ingesting metal particles

According to the FDA, metal fragments or particles in food can cause injury when ingested.

This may include dental damage, lacerations of the mouth or throat, or lacerations or perforation of the intestine. 

Michelle Routhenstein, a cardiology dietitian and registered nutritionist with Entirely Nourished, echoed the FDA’s warnings.

“Ingesting metal particles can cause immediate physical injury,” she told Healthline.

“Larger or sharp fragments may chip teeth, damage dental work, or cut the mouth, throat, esophagus, or gastrointestinal tract, potentially causing pain, bleeding, infection, or even a perforation.”

What to know about Listeria

Some of the cheese products impacted by the recall may be contaminated with Listeria.

Listeria symptoms are generally mild. However, some people with an intestinal illness may develop an invasive form of the disease. This means the infection spreads beyond the gut to other parts of the body.

Symptoms of a listeria infection (listeriosis) in the intestine include:

• diarrhea
• vomiting

If the infection becomes invasive, symptoms may include:

• fever
• flu-like symptoms
• headache
• stiff neck
• confusion
• loss of balance
• seizures

You should speak with a healthcare professional if both of the following apply to you:

• You have ingested food that has been recalled or linked to an outbreak.
• You are experiencing fever or other symptoms of listeria infection.

Let the healthcare professional know if you have possibly eaten contaminated food. This is especially important if you are pregnant, over 65 years old, or have a weakened immune system.

What to do if you purchased recalled cheese?

If you have recently purchased shredded cheese products, check if your product has been recalled.

If it has, avoid consuming any recalled items and follow the disposal or return instructions. 

Routhenstein noted that if you have already consumed the cheese products, the risk from a single small fragment is fairly low.

However, you should seek urgent medical attention if you experience sudden, sharp pain, difficulty swallowing, vomiting blood, black or bloody stools, or severe abdominal pain.