The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a recall of Saputo Cheese USA Inc. cheese sold in Walmart stores because the cheese may pose serious health risks to consumers. It is possible that cheese is made with some liquid dairy ingredients that have not been fully pasteurized according to state regulations.
How to identify recalled high-value cheese
The recalled Saputo Cheese USA Inc. cheese is sold under Walmart’s Great Value private label brand. Currently, five products are affected by this recall:
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24 oz container of Great Value Fat-Free Small Curd Cheese – 0% butterfat, UPC 078742373393, Best before date of April 1, 2026 or April 3, 2026.
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Value Low-Fat Small Curd Cheese – 2% Butterfat, UPC 078742116730, 24 oz container, best by date of April 1, 2026, April 2, 2026, or April 3, 2026.
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Value Small Curd Cheese in 16 oz container – Minimum 4% butterfat, UPC 078742372358, Best before date of April 2, 2026.
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Value Small Curd Cheese in 24 oz container – Minimum 4% butterfat, UPC 078742372365, Best before dates of April 2, 2026 and April 3, 2026.
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Value Small Curd Cheese in 3 lb Container – Minimum 4% Butterfat, UPC 078742147970, Best By Dates April 1, 2026 and April 2, 2026.
The recalled Value Cheese was sold at Walmart stores in Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Tennessee, Utah, Washington and Wyoming from February 17 to February 20.
No other Great Value or Saputo Cheese USA Inc. products are affected by this recall. You can find images of recalled products on the FDA website to help identify them.
What to do if you have recalled Value Cheese
If you have the recalled Value Cheese, you should not eat it. Pasteurizing dairy products “is an essential public health measure that kills dangerous bacteria and largely eliminates the risk of illness,” the FDA said.
Consuming raw or unpasteurized dairy products can pose serious health risks, especially for the young, elderly and immunocompromised. Raw dairy products can carry salmonella, E. coli, listeria and other foodborne illnesses and can even make healthy people sick. Currently, there are no reports of illness.
The FDA urges customers who have the recalled cheese products to throw them away or return them to Walmart for a full refund.
Saputo Cheese USA Inc. has issued a recall of Walmart Value Cheese after a troubleshooting effort revealed a problem with the company’s pasteurizer. The company has since restored the pasteurizer to normal functionality, and the California Department of Food and Agriculture has certified it as safe for use.
For any health-related questions, you should contact your healthcare provider. For questions about this recall, you can call Saputo at 1-888-587-2423.
Read the original article on Allrecipes