Processed Cheese Spreads are being recalled for labeling issues. The instructions vary on the finished product labels and may be confusing, so consumers may not refrigerate these items which must be kept below 40°F. Bacteria can grow in these products at temperatures between 40°F and 140°F. There is no information about whether or not any illnesses have been reported in connection with this issue, because the recall notice was posted on the FDA’s Enforcement Reports page. The recalling firm is Great Lakes Cheese, Inc. of La Crosse, Wisconsin.
The recalled items were sold in these states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin at the retail level.
You can see the long list of recalled products, where they were sold, the brand name, the package sizes, use by dates, and UPC numbers, at that web page. Some of the recalled products include Great Lakes Easy Cheesy; Great Eagle Easy Melt; Lucerne Dairy Farms Family Size American Style; Dutch Farms Cheese Melt Original; Essential Everyday Melting Cheez; Troyer Simply Melts Easy; Harris Teeter Cheese Melt Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product; Our Family Smooth & Creamy American Process Cheese; Hill Country Fare Melt’n Cheese, Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product; and HEB Easy Melt Salsa Queso with Tomatoes, Jalapeño Peppers & Onions; among others.
Please look at the list of recalled items carefully. If you purchased any of these processed cheese spreads, and they were not promptly refrigerated when purchased and stored in the refrigerator, or if you aren’t sure, do not eat them. You can throw them away in a secure trash can or you can take them back to the store where you bought them for a full refund.
