If you've been following the latest high-protein health trend, chances are you have a tub of cottage cheese in your fridge just waiting to be eaten.
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However, if you recently purchased a tub of the tangy dairy product from Walmart, you may want to give it a look. A recall has been issued for select containers of certain cottage cheese sold at the retailer over a possible serious health concern. We have the details below.
Why Is Cottage Cheese Being Recalled?
The recall was issued because liquid dairy ingredients in the cottage cheese may not have been fully pasteurized to regulatory standards.
According to Fox Business, Saputo Cheese USA Inc. learned about the issue during a "pasteurizer troubleshooting exercise." It was run with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, according to an announcement by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday, Feb. 25.
What Brands Have Been Affected?
The recall has been issued for white tubs of Great Value brand cottage cheese with white lids.
The containers were distributed between Feb. 17 and Feb. 20 to Walmart stores and distribution centers in 24 states. The states have been listed below.
- Alaska
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Georgia
- Iowa
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Missouri
- Mississippi
- Montana
- New Mexico
- Nevada
- Oregon
- Texas
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Washington
- Wyoming
Presently, no illness stemming from consuming the affected cottage cheese has been reported. However, improperly pasteurized dairy products can pose serious health risks. This is especially true for young children and older adults with weak or compromised immune systems, according to the FDA.
If you believe you have purchased an affected container of the cottage cheese, you are advised not to consume it. It should obviously be thrown away or returned to the Walmart where you purchased it for a full refund.
Additionally, the pasteurizer at the center of the recall has been repaired, verified, and sealed by food safety officials. According to the recall, no other products made at the facility have been impacted.
This news comes on the heels of another warning issued last week. Over three million pounds of frozen food were recalled. The Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service then issued an alert, stating that the frozen chicken fried rice from Trader Joe's could contain chunks of glass.
