Kraft Heinz has voluntarily recalled its processed American cheese singles due to a potential choking hazard from packaging, the company announced earlier this week.
Kraft said 83,800 cases of processed cheese slices sold in individual packaging are being recalled, according to a Tuesday news release.
The recall was initiated after the company had discovered a “temporary issue” with one of its packaging machines that could leave a small piece of film on a slice of cheese even after the wrapper had been removed.
Ingesting this thin film could lead to “unpleasant” consequences and present a possible choking hazard, the company said.
The affected products are:
- 16-ounce Kraft Singles American Pasteurized Prepared Cheese with best-when-used-by dates ranging from January 10, 2024, to January 27, 2024.
- 3-pound multipack units of Kraft Singles American Pasteurized Prepared Cheese with best-when-used-by dates of January 9, 2024, and January 13, 2024.
“The issue was discovered after we received several consumer complaints about finding the plastic stuck to a slice, including six complaints of consumers saying they choked or gagged in connection with the issue,” the company acknowledged. “No injuries or serious health issues have been reported.”
Reportedly, this issue with Kraft’s packaging machine has since been remedied. However, citizens who purchased the affected products are encouraged to dispose of the items or return them to where they were purchased for a refund or an exchange.
“Kraft Heinz is committed to upholding the highest safety and quality standards and apologizes for this inconvenience,” the company assured consumers in the news release.
Kraft is just one of many entities needing to recall some of its products due to contamination by plastic. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service recently issued a recall for 245,366 pounds of Banquet Chicken Strips Meals after a consumer was hurt after finding pieces of plastic in the frozen food, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
