Why FDA has issued an urgent recall of shredded cheese in 31 states and which types to look out for

The FDA has recalled dozens of shredded cheese products over growing safety concerns.

It feels like every week brings yet another food item being pulled from shelves by suppliers.

Cooking up a storm is becoming a bit of a minefield, making even the most confident home cooks a little apprehensive.

Recently, we’ve seen everything from pasta being recalled over listeria fears, to everyday kitchen pots and pans binned for containing lead.

And now, 27 brands of shredded cheese have been pulled in a major FDA recall.

The affected products were sold in popular retailers including Target, Walmart and Aldi across 31 US states, plus Puerto Rico.

So, the next time you reach for that bag of grated mozzarella to sprinkle over a pasta bake or homemade pizza, it might be worth giving the label a second look.

Why have shredded cheese products been recalled?

Double check before sprinkling that cheese (Tatsiana Volkava/Getty Images)

On this occasion, bags of shredded cheese have been recalled over fears they contain metal fragments.

The FDA states this is 'from supplier raw material,' so, from metal equipment used during processing.

Not only would metal fragments disrupt the soft, melty texture we expect from shredded cheese, but they can be harmful to our health too.

Biting into metal fragments could damage teeth or cut your inner mouth, depending on its size.

Swallowing it could cause internal lacerations and, in some cases, cause obstruction.

On Tuesday (December 2), the FDA updated the risk level to the second-highest level, meaning the chances of serious health issues are unlikely.

Which shredded cheese products are affected?

Millions of bags of cheese are impacted (Juanmonino/Getty Images)

Some 1.5 million bags of the good stuff are being recalled across 27 unique brands.

They are as follows:

Always Save

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella

Borden

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella

Brookshire’s

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella and Italian Style Blend

Cache Valley Creamery

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella and Italian Style Blend

Chestnut Hill

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella

Coburn Farms

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella and Italian Style Blend

Econo

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella and Pizza Style Blend

Food Club

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella and Pizza Style Blend

Food Lion

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella

Freedom’s Choice

• Mozzarella & Provolone Blend

Gold Rush Creamery

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella and Pizza Style Blend

Good & Gather

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella, Mozzarella & Provolone Blend and Mozzarella & Parmesan Blend

Great Lakes Cheese

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella and Mozzarella & Provolone Blend

Great Value

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella
• Italian Style Blend
• Pizza Style Blend
• Mozzarella & Provolone Blend

H-E-B

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella

Happy Farms by Aldi

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella
• Italian Style Blend

Hill Country Fare

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella

Know & Love

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella
• Italian Style Blend

Laura Lynn

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella
• Italian Style Blend
• Pizza Style Blend

Lucerne Dairy Farms

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella

Nu Farm

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella

Publix

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella
• Italian Style Blend

Schnuck’s

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella

Simply Go

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella
• Italian Style Blend
• Pizza Style Blend

Sprouts Farmers Market

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella

Stater Bros. Markets

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella

Sunnyside Farms

• Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella

Which states are affected?

Check your refrigerator sooner rather than later (M-Production/Getty Images)

The recalled cheese was sold in some 31 US states, as well as Puerto Rico.

So if you bought your cheese in any of the following areas, beware:

• 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
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia
• Washington
• Wisconsin

Usually, the FDA advises those who've bought affected products to get in touch with the retailer for a refund. So far, guidance has not been issued.