A sweeping voluntary recall of shredded cheese products from Great Lakes Cheese Co. Inc., based in Ohio, now affects more than 1 million bags sold across 31 states, including California. The recall involves products distributed under numerous store and private-label brands that consumers commonly purchase at large national retailers.
According to authorities, Great Lakes Cheese Co. initiated the recall due to the potential presence of metal fragments in certain shredded cheese items. The company began the recall in October. On Monday, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration classified it as a Class II. This classification means the recalled products “may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences.”
Several major retail brands appear among the dozens of labels impacted. These include Target’s Good & Gather, Walmart’s Great Value, Happy Farms by Aldi, and Sprouts Farmers Market. The products were sold through these retailers in multiple states during the affected distribution period.
The recall covers a range of shredded cheese varieties. Specifically, the affected products include low-moisture part-skim mozzarella, various Italian-style blends, various pizza-style blends, a mozzarella and provolone blend, and a mozzarella and parmesan blend. Authorities noted that most of the recalled cases consisted solely of mozzarella.
In total, the recall involves more than 250,000 cases of shredded cheese. The sell-by dates on the recalled bags range from January through March of 2026, indicating that some products may still be in consumer refrigerators or retail inventories.
The affected states are extensive and reflect wide national distribution. They include Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
For insurance industry professionals tracking product and distribution events, this recall offers a clear example of how quickly a manufacturing concern can expand into a multi-state retail issue, particularly when a supplier serves several national chains and private-label programs. The FDA’s Class II classification also provides a formal health-risk context for the recall as it proceeds.
Great Lakes Cheese Co. and regulators continue to provide product-level details through federal recall documentation. For more information about specific products, brands, and sell-by dates included in the recall, the FDA’s recall listing for Event 97827 contains the latest official breakdown.
