All of the products contain low-moisture part-skim mozzarella or a blend of mozzarella and other cheeses and have sell-by dates between January and March 2026. They were sold in Puerto Rico and 31 states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
The brands are listed below. Consult the FDA’s website for specific package sizes, lot numbers, and sell-by dates.
The recall was initiated in October but was not posted on the FDA’s Enforcement Report website until Dec. 1, when the agency designated it as a Class II recall. The agency defines a Class II recall as a product that “may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.” According to an FDA spokesperson, “the publication in the Enforcement Report was solely to reflect the classification; the recall was not expanded or changed.”
In a Dec. 3 press release, Great Lakes Cheese said that its supplier of the mozzarella had notified the company in October that the cheese may contain foreign material. The company says it instructed retailers to remove the products from store shelves. “All recalled products have been removed from markets and replaced with new products. Further, the products currently on retail shelves are safe to consume and not associated with the October recall,” the release said.
Pieces of metal, wood, rubber, or other substances may get into foods during the manufacturing process, says James E. Rogers, PhD, director of product and food safety at Consumer Reports. “They can cut your mouth, break your teeth, or cause other injuries.”
If you have any of the recalled cheese in your refrigerator or freezer, return it to the store where you bought it for a refund.
