Class II U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Great Lakes Cheese Co Inc Happy Farms by Aldi Italian Style shredded cheese blend recall: Potential metal fragments from supplier raw material (downstream recall)

Recall published 11 months ago

Potential metal fragments from supplier raw material (downstream recall)

The hazard: Foreign material — metal

This is a foreign-material recall — metal where there should be none. An affected pack looks identical to a sound one from the outside.

What the notice says: Potential metal fragments from supplier raw material (downstream recall)

Why it matters: Pieces of metal may be inside the product. The risk here is physical rather than microbial: cuts to the mouth or throat, a broken tooth, or an injury further down if a fragment is swallowed.

Symptoms and when to call a doctor

If someone has swallowed a fragment and has mouth or throat pain, trouble swallowing, chest or stomach pain, vomiting, or blood in saliva or stool, they should be seen the same day. A fragment swallowed without symptoms usually passes on its own, but tell the clinician exactly what the product was: metal shows up clearly on an X-ray, so imaging can confirm whether anything is still there.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you feel unwell, a clinician who can see you is the only person able to judge your case.

Recall details

Recall number
H-0216-2026
Published
December 10, 2025
Risk level
Class II
Status
Terminated
Issued by
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Brand
Great Lakes Cheese Co Inc
Product type
Dairy
Units affected
1,900 cases
Distribution
Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin
Sold at
Aldi
Made in
United States
Lot / code info
Batch/Sell By Date: 0008922982 2/22/2026 0008926344 2/23/2026
UPC codes
4061463330949

Products covered by this recall

Happy Farms by Aldi Italian Style shredded cheese blend (containing low-moisture part-skim mozzarella, not-smoked provolone, romano, asiago & parmesan finely shredded cheeses), 12 oz., individually packaged in a plastic bag, UPC 4061463330949, 6/combo case also containing 6 bags of Taco Style product

Check your product

The notice names 2 codes you can read straight off the package. Type the one printed on yours and the list below narrows to it.

UPC / barcode

Read the twelve digits under the barcode on the package.

  • 4061463330949

Package size

Match the net weight or the piece count on the front of the pack.

  • 12 oz

Codes are lifted verbatim from the FDA — Food & cosmetics enforcement notice. A code that is missing here may still be covered — the official notice is the complete list.

What to do about Metal pieces

Great Lakes Cheese Co Inc — This is a foreign-material recall — metal where there should be none. An affected pack looks identical to a sound one from the outside.

  1. Stop eating it, and do not pick through it to find the fragment — sorting it by hand is how people get cut.
  2. If someone has already bitten into something hard, have them stop, spit out what is in their mouth and rinse rather than swallow.
  3. Keep the pack if you can. If anyone was hurt, the fragment and the packaging together are the evidence that matters.
  4. Return it to the store or bin it sealed, and claim the refund using the lot code from the label.

Getting a refund without the pack

The commonest reason people skip the refund is that they have already thrown the item away. That rarely matters.

  • A photo of the label and lot code is accepted by most grocers, and so is a card statement line showing the purchase.
  • Store credit is often offered first. You can ask for the original payment method instead, and it is normally granted.
  • No photo either? Ask anyway. Grocery chains settle recall refunds at the service desk because disputing them costs more than paying them.
  • For a multi-pack or a case, ask for the full purchase price rather than a per-unit figure — the recall covers what you paid.

Company contact: Great Lakes Cheese Co Inc — 17825 Great Lakes Pkwy, Hiram, OH, 44234-9677

The official notice

This page summarises a notice published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The agency notice is the authoritative version — read it before you act, and treat it as the final word if anything here looks different.

Open the FDA — Food & cosmetics enforcement record U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalls

Questions people ask about this recall

Why was Great Lakes Cheese Co Inc dairy recalled?

Potential metal fragments from supplier raw material (downstream recall) Potential metal fragments from supplier raw material (downstream recall)

How do I know if I have the recalled product?

Match the codes printed on your package against the notice: UPC 4061463330949. If the code on your package is not on that list, your unit is outside the recall.

What should I do with it right now?

Stop eating it, and do not pick through it to find the fragment — sorting it by hand is how people get cut.

Can I get my money back?

A photo of the label and lot code is accepted by most grocers, and so is a card statement line showing the purchase.

Which states were affected?

The notice lists Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky and others.

Related recalls