Shredded Cheese Recall: Complete Brand List, UPC Codes, and Safety Guide
Great Lakes Cheese Co. Inc. is at the center of an ongoing shredded cheese recall affecting more than 250,000 cases sold under at least 45 brand names at Walmart, Target, Aldi, Publix, H-E-B, Sprouts, and dozens of regional grocers. The recall was triggered after the company found that a supplier’s raw material may contain metal fragments. The FDA’s Enforcement Report, filed under recall numbers H-0215-2026 through H-0221-2026, classifies the event as Class II and lists 31 states plus Puerto Rico in the distribution pattern. Great Lakes Cheese initiated the action on October 3, 2025, the FDA formally classified it December 1, 2025, and the case remains open, with no termination date recorded as of this writing.
This guide gives you the exhaustive product list with UPC codes and sell-by dates, a timeline of how the situation has progressed, retailer-specific refund steps, and expanded health guidance — including what to do if you’ve already cooked, frozen, or eaten the product.
Recall Timeline
| Date | Event |
| October 3, 2025 | Great Lakes Cheese Co. Inc. voluntarily initiates the recall after identifying potential metal fragments in a supplier’s raw material |
| Late 2025 | Retailers begin pulling affected shredded cheese from shelves as batch-level testing continues |
| December 1, 2025 | FDA classification review formally designates the event Class II, meaning a remote probability of serious harm |
| December 2–5, 2025 | Public notices are published and the Enforcement Report is updated with recall numbers H-0215-2026 through H-0221-2026 |
| January–March 2026 | Window covering nearly all affected sell-by and best-by dates on recalled packages |
| August 2026 (last verified) | Status remains “Ongoing,” with no termination date recorded |
Recall at a Glance
Each product group carries its own recall number and case count, all logged under the same Event ID 97827 investigation into Great Lakes Cheese Co. Inc.
| Recall Number | Product Group | Case Quantity | Reason |
| H-0215-2026 | Low-moisture part-skim mozzarella shredded (Always Save, Borden, and others) | 235,789 cases | Potential metal fragments, supplier raw material |
| H-0216-2026 | Happy Farms by Aldi Italian Style shredded blend, 12 oz. | 1,900 cases | Potential metal fragments, supplier raw material |
| H-0217-2026 | Italian-style shredded blend (Brookshire’s, Cache Valley Creamery, Coburn Farms, Great Value) | 15,490 cases | Potential metal fragments, supplier raw material |
| H-0218-2026 | Food Club Finely Shredded Pizza Style Four Cheese Blend, 8 oz. | 117 cases | Potential metal fragments, supplier raw material |
| H-0219-2026 | Pizza-style shredded blend (Econo, Food Club, Gold Rush Creamery, Great Value) | 4,298 cases | Potential metal fragments, supplier raw material |
| H-0220-2026 | Mozzarella & provolone shredded blend (Freedom’s Choice, Good & Gather, Great Lakes Cheese, Great Value) | 4,131 cases | Potential metal fragments, supplier raw material |
| H-0221-2026 | Good & Gather Mozzarella & Parmesan blend, Fine Cut, 8 oz. | 1,850 cases | Potential metal fragments, supplier raw material |
States Affected
The recalled products were distributed to 31 states and Puerto Rico: 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, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Puerto Rico. If you live outside this list, the affected batches should not have reached your local retailer through normal distribution, though overlapping regional supply chains are possible.
Read more: Shredded Cheese Recall
Complete List of Recalled Products by Category
Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella (Plain Shredded)
| Brand | Size | UPC |
| Always Save Shredded | 5 lb. | 7003865782 |
| Borden Shredded | 8 oz. | 5300007162 |
| Borden Thick Cut | 8 oz. | 5300007170 |
| Brookshire’s Finely Shredded | 8 oz. | 9282510119 |
| Brookshire’s Shredded | 8 oz. | 9282510120 |
| Brookshire’s Shredded | 32 oz. | 9282510130 |
| Brookshire’s Thick Cut | 8 oz. | 9282592197 |
| Cache Valley Creamery Shredded | 8 oz. | 7495802553 |
| Chestnut Hill Fancy Shredded | 8 oz. | 3225116742 |
| Coburn Farms Shredded | 8 oz. | 5193331657 |
| Coburn Farms Shredded | 12 oz. | 5193321820 |
| Coburn Farms Shredded | 32 oz. | 5193334257 |
| Econo Shredded | 8 oz. | 893800294 |
| Food Club Finely Shredded | 8 oz. | 3680045573 |
| Food Club Shredded | 8 oz. | 3680005117 |
| Food Club Shredded | 16 oz. | 3680005144 |
| Food Club Shredded | 32 oz. | 3680012914 / 3680041215 / 3680038305 |
| Food Lion Shredded | 8 oz. | 3582609008 |
| Gold Rush Creamery Shredded | 8 oz. | 1401401014 |
| Gold Rush Creamery Shredded | 32 oz. | 1401401030 |
| Good & Gather Fine Cut | 8 oz. | 8523903860 |
| Good & Gather Classic | 8 oz. | 8523903849 |
| Good & Gather Classic | 32 oz. | 8523903852 |
| Great Lakes Cheese Shredded | 5 lb. | 3651415034 |
| Great Value Finely Shredded | 8 oz. | 7874237425 |
| Great Value Finely Shredded | 16 oz. | 7874204492 |
| Great Value Shredded | 8 oz. | 7874235317 |
| Great Value Shredded | 16 oz. | 7874235321 |
| Great Value Shredded | 32 oz. | 7874237475 |
| Great Value Shredded | 5 lb. | 7874204980 |
| Happy Farms by Aldi Shredded | 16 oz. | 4061463330864 |
| Happy Farms by Aldi Shredded | 32 oz. | 4061463369413 |
| H-E-B Shredded | 8 oz. | 4122022272 |
| H-E-B Thick | 8 oz. | 4122061295 |
| Hill Country Fare Shredded | 8 oz. | 4122018977 |
| Hill Country Fare Shredded | 16 oz. | 4122016234 |
| Hill Country Fare Shredded | 5 lb. | 4122082998 |
| Know & Love Fine Cut | 8 oz. | 788030650 |
| Know & Love Fine Cut | 16 oz. | 788030657 |
| Know & Love Classic Cut | 8 oz. | 788030659 |
| Know & Love Classic Cut | 32 oz. | 788030658 |
| Know & Love Thick Cut | 8 oz. | 788030678 |
| Laura Lynn Finely Shredded | 8 oz. | 8685401031 |
| Laura Lynn Shredded | 8 oz. | 8685400824 |
| Laura Lynn Shredded | 12 oz. | 8685400815 |
| Laura Lynn Shredded | 16 oz. | 8685406528 |
| Laura Lynn Thick Cut Shredded | 8 oz. | 8685407109 |
| Lucerne Dairy Farms Finely Shredded | 8 oz. | 2113004867 |
| Lucerne Dairy Farms Shredded | 8 oz. | 2113004259 |
| Lucerne Dairy Farms Shredded Family Size | 32 oz. | 2113004741 |
| Lucerne Dairy Farms Rustic Cut | 8 oz. | 2113004944 |
| Lucerne Dairy Farms Rustic Cut Family Size | 32 oz. | 2113004949 |
| Nu Farm Fancy Shredded | 8 oz. | 3104100151 |
| Publix Shredded | 8 oz. | 4141511665 |
| Publix Shredded | 16 oz. | 4141523365 |
| Schnuck’s Shredded | 8 oz. | 4131858010 |
| Simply Go Classic Cut Shredded | 8 oz. | 1015983021 |
| Simply Go Classic Cut Shredded | 32 oz. | 1015983020 |
| Simply Go Rustic Cut Shredded | 8 oz. | 1015983040 |
| Sprouts Farmers Market Finely Shredded | 8 oz. | 4667052284 |
| Sprouts Farmers Market Shredded Value Pack | 32 oz. | 4667052279 |
| Stater Bros Markets Finely Shredded | 8 oz. | 7417546413 |
| Stater Bros Markets Shredded | 8 oz. | 7417546402 |
| Stater Bros Markets Shredded | 32 oz. | 7417546435 |
| Sunnyside Farms Shredded | 16 oz. | 1754450204 |
| Sunnyside Farms Shredded | 32 oz. | 1754450057 |
Italian-Style Shredded Cheese Blends
| Brand | Size | UPC |
| Brookshire’s Italian 6-Cheese Finely Shredded | 8 oz. | 9282510174 |
| Cache Valley Creamery Six Cheese Italian Finely Shredded | 8 oz. | 7495800257 |
| Coburn Farms Italian Style Finely Shredded | 12 oz. | 5193365638 |
| Great Value Italian Style Finely Shredded | 8 oz. | 7874201566 |
| Great Value Italian Style Finely Shredded | 16 oz. | 7874203979 |
| Happy Farms by Aldi Italian Style Shredded Blend | 12 oz. | 4061463330949 |
| Know & Love Italian Style Fine Cut | 8 oz. | 788030645 |
| Laura Lynn Italian Blend Finely Shredded | 8 oz. | 8685405157 |
| Publix Italian Six Cheese Blend Fancy Shredded | 8 oz. | 4141518065 |
| Simply Go Italian Style Six Cheese Blend Fine Cut | 8 oz. | 1015983015 |
Pizza-Style Shredded Cheese Blends
| Brand | Size | UPC |
| Econo Pizza Shredded | 8 oz. | 893800297 |
| Food Club Pizza Style Two Cheese Blend Finely Shredded | 8 oz. | 3680012422 |
| Food Club Pizza Style Two Cheese Blend Finely Shredded | 32 oz. | 3680044487 / 3680048197 |
| Food Club Finely Shredded Pizza Style Four Cheese Blend | 8 oz. | 3680017231 |
| Freedom’s Choice Pizza Blend Fine-Cut | 32 oz. | 4279810410 |
| Gold Rush Creamery Pizza Blend Shredded | 32 oz. | 1401401030 |
| Great Value Pizza Blend Shredded | 8 oz. | 538818789 |
| Laura Lynn Pizza Blend Finely Shredded | 8 oz. | 8685402132 |
| Simply Go Pizza Blend Two Cheese Mix Classic Cut | 32 oz. | 1015983022 |
Mozzarella Cheese Blends
| Brand | Size | UPC |
| Good & Gather Mozzarella & Provolone Classic | 8 oz. | 8523903871 |
| Good & Gather Mozzarella & Parmesan Fine Cut | 8 oz. | 8523903856 |
| Great Lakes Cheese Mozzarella & Provolone Shredded | 5 lb. | 3651415115 |
| Great Value Provolone & Mozzarella Blend Shredded | 16 oz. | 7874226743 |
Sell-by and best-by dates across these products fall primarily between January 14, 2026, and March 27, 2026. Because dozens of batch codes can exist within a single UPC, confirm both the code and the printed date before assuming a package is safe.
Where to Find the UPC and Best-By Date
The UPC barcode typically appears on the back or bottom of the bag, printed as an 8- to 13-digit string beneath or beside the barcode itself. The best-by or sell-by date usually sits near the top seal, sometimes accompanied by a separate batch or lot code in smaller print. If your UPC matches one of the tables above, check the date next — if both match, treat the product as affected regardless of how it looks, smells, or tastes, since metal fragments aren’t detectable through the senses.
Why This Happened and What Class II Means
Great Lakes Cheese traced the contamination risk to a raw material supplied by a third party rather than to its own processing equipment. A Class II designation means the product “may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences,” with the probability of serious harm considered remote — one level below Class I, which the FDA reserves for situations where death or serious injury is reasonably probable.
Health Risks by Group
Swallowing metal fragments can cut or abrade the mouth, throat, esophagus, or gastrointestinal tract. Risk varies by individual circumstance:
- Children face higher risk because smaller airways and digestive tracts make even small fragments more likely to cause injury or choking.
- Older adults with swallowing difficulties or reduced gastrointestinal motility may have a harder time passing a fragment safely.
- Pregnant individuals face no unique metal-fragment risk beyond the general population, though abdominal pain during pregnancy always warrants prompt medical evaluation regardless of cause.
- Healthy adults face the lowest overall risk but aren’t immune to internal injury from a sharp fragment.
Seek emergency care for severe abdominal pain, vomiting blood, black or bloody stools, persistent difficulty swallowing, or chest pain after eating an affected product. Emergency physicians may use X-ray or endoscopy to locate and, if necessary, remove a fragment that hasn’t passed within 24 to 48 hours.
What to Do If You Have an Affected Package
- Stop using the product once the UPC and date match the list above.
- Don’t taste-test it to check for metal — fragments are often undetectable by sight, smell, or texture.
- Discard it in a sealed container, or return the unused portion to your retailer for a refund.
- Don’t donate it to a food bank or shelter.
- Watch for symptoms over the following several days, even if you feel fine initially.
If you’ve already cooked, frozen, or used the cheese: heat and cold storage have no effect on metal fragments. Cooking doesn’t dissolve them, and freezing doesn’t remove them. If you used an affected batch in a casserole, pizza, or other cooked dish, discard the entire dish rather than trying to salvage it.
Retailer-Specific Refund Guidance
| Retailer | Refund Process |
| Retailer | Refund Process |
| Walmart | Return the package, opened or unopened, to any customer service desk for a full refund; a receipt is generally not required. |
| Target | Bring the item to Guest Services, where the system can typically verify affected UPCs without a receipt. |
| Aldi | Return to the store of purchase; a no-receipt-required policy applies to its recalled private-label UPCs. |
| Publix, H-E-B, Sprouts, and regional chains | Contact customer service or visit in person; most accept returns without a receipt, though policies vary by location. |
Retailers aren’t always required to proactively notify individual customers, so checking your own kitchen against the product list above is more reliable than waiting to be contacted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the shredded cheese recall still active as of today?
Yes. Its official status remains “Ongoing,” with no termination date recorded, even though most affected sell-by dates fall between January and March 2026. Cases like this often stay formally open for months while the manufacturer and retailers confirm that all affected inventory has been removed or accounted for.
Can cooking or baking destroy the risk from metal fragments?
No. Heat can kill bacteria and pathogens, but it has no effect on physical metal fragments. If you used an affected bag of cheese in a cooked dish such as pizza, lasagna, or a casserole, the finished dish carries the same risk and should be discarded rather than eaten.
Does freezing an affected package make it safe?
No. Freezing preserves the product but doesn’t remove or neutralize metal fragments. If a package was flagged before you froze it, it remains unsafe regardless of how long it’s been stored.
Can pets eat shredded cheese from a recalled brand?
It’s not recommended. The same physical injury risk applies to pets, and small dogs or cats may be even more vulnerable to internal injury from a swallowed fragment than an adult human.
Is restaurant or food service cheese affected?
Possibly. The list includes foodservice-size packaging, such as 5-pound bags sold under the Great Lakes Cheese brand, so restaurants and institutional kitchens sourcing from this manufacturer should check their supplier invoices and UPCs rather than assuming the issue applies only to grocery purchases.
Are frozen pizzas or pre-made meals included?
No. This action covers standalone bagged shredded cheese products sold under the brand names and UPCs listed above. It doesn’t include frozen pizzas, meal kits, or other prepared foods, which would typically be covered by a separate notice if affected cheese were confirmed as an ingredient.
Is block cheese or pre-sliced cheese from these brands affected?
No. This action is specific to shredded and finely shredded formats. Block, sliced, or string cheese from the same brands isn’t included unless a separate notice specifically names it.
Can I still return an opened package for a refund?
Yes, in most cases. Major retailers generally accept returns of affected products whether the package is opened or unopened, since the concern applies to the product itself rather than its packaging state.
How long do recall notices typically stay listed with the FDA?
Indefinitely, as a public record, even after a case is formally closed. It’s marked “terminated” once the agency confirms the firm has completed its recall strategy and all reasonably available product has been retrieved or accounted for; until then, it remains listed as “ongoing,” as this one currently is.
Does shredding the cheese make contamination more likely than with block cheese?
No. The metal fragments in this instance originated in a raw material batch supplied before shredding, not from the shredding process itself, so the format didn’t independently increase risk. Block cheese made from unaffected raw material batches wasn’t implicated.
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