Cheese lovers, beware! On Tuesday, Sept. 19, Kraft Heinz announced that it has recalled about 83,800 cases of individually wrapped Kraft Singles American cheese due to a possible choking hazard.
The food company initiated the recall after a temporary issue on one of its wrapping machines enabled a thin strip of film to stick to the cheese slice after the wrapper had been removed. “If the film sticks to the slice and is not removed, it could be unpleasant and potentially cause a gagging or choking hazard,” Kraft wrote in a news release. The company added that it has fixed the wrapping machine, and “all other processing machines have been thoroughly inspected.”
Kraft discovered this issue after several consumers complained about finding the plastic stuck to a cheese slice. Six customers reported that they choked or gagged because of this, but there have been no injuries or serious health issues, according to Kraft.
The recall applies to 16-ounce packages of Kraft Singles American Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product with a UPC code of 0 2100061526 1 and a “Best When Used By” date of Jan. 10, 2024 through Jan. 27, 2024. Individual packages in this recall will include an S and 72 in the manufacturing code.
Three-pound multipacks of Kraft Singles American Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product are included in this recall, as well. These have a carton with a UPC code of 0 2100060491 3 and a “Best When Used By” date of Jan. 9, 2024 through Jan. 13 and Jan. 16, 2024.
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Kraft advises individuals who bought these items to not consume them and return them to their place of purchase for an exchange or refund. Consumers can call Kraft Heinz from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday, at 1-800-280-8252 to see if a product is included in the recall and to receive reimbursement.
Kraft Singles aren’t the only items that have been recalled recently. Earlier this week, Costco removed pre-cut organic butternut squash from the shelves because it may be contaminated with E.coli. The recall only applies to products with a Sept. 19, 2023 date code stamped on the package. These were sold in Washington D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
A week prior, Kettle Cuisine alerted Costco members that it recalled Kirkland Signature’s Chicken Tortilla Soup because gluten was found in the item despite it being labeled as “gluten-free.” The soups were sold in Costco’s locations in Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
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Brianna Ruback
Brianna is a staff writer at Eat This, Not That! She attended Ithaca College, where she graduated with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Communication Studies. Read more about Brianna
