Class IITerminated · reported 2018-01-17

Light String Cheese, Part Skim Mozzarella cheese, sold under the following brands and…

Saputo Cheese USA Inc. recalled this product and the FDA reported the enforcement action on 17 January 2018 as Class II. The recall was initiated by the firm. cheese has an off odor / off taste.

The record

Every field below is published by the FDA in the openFDA food enforcement database. Check the FDA notice before acting on any recall: this page is a reading of the public record, not a substitute for it.

Product: Light String Cheese, Part Skim Mozzarella cheese, sold under the following brands and package sizes: 1. Fit & Active, 10 oz,., 12 individually wrapped pieces. UPC 041498-190293; 2. LIDL, 10 oz., 12 individually wrapped pieces. BEST BY 29MAR18L3 3. Market Pantry, 5 oz,., 6 individually wrapped pieces. UPC 085239-116951 4. Market Pantry, 10 oz., 12 individually wrapped pieces. UPC 085239-118122; 5. AHOLD, 8 oz., 8 individually wrapped pieces. UPC 688267-152757; 6. AHOLD 16 oz., 16 individually wrapped pieces. UPC 688267-129667; 7. AHOLD, 24 oz., 24 individually wrapped pieces. UPC 688267-044823.
UPC: 041498190293
Reason for recall: cheese has an off odor / off taste.
Recalling firm: Saputo Cheese USA Inc.
Firm location: Lincolnshire, Illinois, United States
Classification: Class II
Status: Terminated
Recall number: F-0525-2018
Quantity: 36,071 lbs.
Distribution: CA, FL, IA, IN, KS, MA, MD, MO, NY, OH, PA, TX, VA, WI
Initiated: 21 December 2017
Reported by FDA: 17 January 2018
Terminated: 31 May 2018
Firm notified by: Telephone
Product codes: 1. Fit & Active BEST BY 26MAR18G1, BEST BY 05APR18G1, BEST BY 05APR18G2, BEST BY 05APR18G3. 2. LIDL BEST BY 29MAR18L3 3. Market Pantry 5 oz.. USE BY 05APR2018 L3 4. Market Pantry 10 oz., USE BY 05APR2018 L3 5. AHOLD 8 oz. USE BY 04052018 L3 6. AHOLD 16 oz. USE BY 04052018 L3 7. AHOLD 24 oz.USE BY 04052018 L3

Reading this record

Five things about this record are not in the record itself, and each one changes how it should be read.

Class II means the FDA judged a remote probability of serious harm, or a probability of temporary or medically reversible harm. The class is assigned by an agency health hazard evaluation under 21 CFR 7.41, not by the firm.
The firm started this recall itself. Most FDA food recalls are voluntary, and a recall is a food safety plan working rather than failing. The circumstances in which the agency asks for one instead are set out in 21 CFR 7.45.
This record is the only one the FDA opened for its recall event, so it covers a single product code.
The recall ran for 5 months, from 21 December 2017 to termination on 31 May 2018. Termination means the agency judged that all reasonable effort had been made, under 21 CFR 7.55, and it says nothing about whether product remained in circulation.
The distribution pattern names 14 states, and the FDA published the enforcement report 4 weeks after the firm began the recall.
Recalls of cheese run a median of 7 months, so this one was shorter than usual for its category. Cheese dominates Listeria recalls among dairy products because soft and semi-soft varieties hold enough moisture for the organism to grow at refrigeration temperature, and because most are eaten without any further cooking step.

Named in the distribution pattern: California, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin. Those pages count recalls by where the RECALLING FIRM sits, which is a different question from where this product went.

Filed under cheese. A product can sit in more than one.

Other cheese recalls

These are the closest records in the corpus: the same kind of food. Unlike the firm’s own records below, they come from different companies, which is what makes them a pattern rather than a history.

Reported	Product	Firm	Reason	Class
2026-09-02	Marketside Tomato Bisque Soup Kit, Tomato Bisque with Cheese Croutons & White Cheddar Cheese, Ready to Heat, Net Wt. 14 OZ (397g), with UPC 1 94346474004. Must Keep Refrigerated.	CUISINE, KETTLE	Product had a presumptive positive test result for Listeria monocytogenes	Class II
2026-08-12	Selectos Latinos Requeson Mexicano Mexican Cottage Cheese, Net Weight 16 oz, packed into retail-sized clear plastic containers. Keep refrigerated.	La Colonia Foods Llc	Products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.	Class I
2026-08-12	Clover Hill Dairy LLP, mild cheese variety (Snack Pack Assorted Regular Mild Stix White Colby, Marble Jack, Yummy Cheddar). Sold in approximate 0.40-lb (6.4oz) units. Unknown information: packaging, labeling, or total quantity of product distributed. Keep refrigerated.	Clover Hill Dairy, LLC	Product contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.	Class I
2026-08-12	Clover Hill Dairy LLP, Pepper Jack Cheese Varieties (Jalapeno Cheddar, Pepper Jack, Sizzlin Colby with Habanero Peppers). Sold in approximate 1/2-lb, 1-lb, 2.5-lb, 5-lb, and 40-lb units. Unknown information: packaging, labeling, or total quantity of product distributed. Keep refrigerated.	Clover Hill Dairy, LLC	Product contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.	Class I
2026-08-12	Clover Hill Dairy LLP, Mild Cheese Variety (Yummy Cheddar, White Cheddar, White Colby, Monterey Jack, Marble Jack). Sold in 1/2-lb, 1-lb, 2.5-lb, 5-lb, and 40-lb units. Unknown information: packaging, labeling, or total quantity of product distributed. Keep refrigerated.	Clover Hill Dairy, LLC	Product contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.	Class I
2026-08-12	Clover Hill Dairy LLP, Pepper Jack Cheese Varieties (Snack Pack Assorted Pepperjack Stix (Jalapeno Cheddar, Pepper Jack)). Sold in approximate 0.40-lb (6.4oz) units. Unknown information: packaging, labeling, or total quantity of product distributed. Keep refrigerated.	Clover Hill Dairy, LLC	Product contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.	Class I
2026-08-12	Clover Hill Dairy LLP, Sharp Cheese Snack Pack Sharp Stix White or Yellow. Sold in approximate 0.40-lb (6.4oz) units. Unknown information: packaging, labeling, or total quantity of product distributed. Keep refrigerated.	Clover Hill Dairy, LLC	Product contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.	Class I
2026-08-12	KC Everyday Mac & Cheese, 3lb x 6. Item # 20609055. 6 - 3 lb pouches, Net Wt: 18 lb. (8.16Kg). Fully Cooked. Keep Frozen. Distributed By: Kerry Inc, Beloit, WI 53511.	Kerry, Inc	Undeclared allergen (egg)	Class I

Other records from Saputo Cheese USA Inc.

The FDA opens one enforcement record per product code, so several of these are frequently one recall event. 22 other records name this firm.

Reported	Product	Firm	Reason	Class
2026-03-25	Great Value Fat Free Cottage Cheese Small Curd 0% Milkfat NET WT 24OZ UPC 0 78742 37339 3 DISTRIBUTED BY: Walmart Inc., Bentonville, AR 72716	SAPUTO CHEESE USA, INC	Potentially under pasteurized. The firm was notified by the California Department of Agriculture that due to the broken seal on the pasteurizer, the products may be under pasteurized, and they should recall the products.	Class II
2026-03-25	Great Value Lowfat Cottage Cheese Small Curd 2% Milkfat NET WT 24OZ UPC 0 78742 11673 0 DISTRIBUTED BY: Walmart Inc., Bentonville, AR 72716	SAPUTO CHEESE USA, INC	Potentially under pasteurized. The firm was notified by the California Department of Agriculture that due to the broken seal on the pasteurizer, the products may be under pasteurized, and they should recall the products.	Class II
2026-03-25	Great Value Cottage Cheese Small Curd 4% Milkfat NET WT 16oZ UPC 0 78742 37235 8; 24oz UPC 0 78742 37236 5 & 3lb UPC 0 78742 14797 0 DISTRIBUTED BY: Walmart Inc., Bentonville, AR 72716	SAPUTO CHEESE USA, INC	Potentially under pasteurized. The firm was notified by the California Department of Agriculture that due to the broken seal on the pasteurizer, the products may be under pasteurized, and they should recall the products.	Class II
2026-03-25	CLOVER SONOMA COTTAGE CHEESE LOW FAT 2% MILKFAT NET WT 16OZ UPC 0 70852 54400 7 & 32OZ UPC 0 70852 54200 3 DISTRIBUTED BY: CLOVER-STORNETTA FARMS LLC PETALUMA, CA 94952	SAPUTO CHEESE USA, INC	Potentially under pasteurized. The firm was notified by the California Department of Agriculture that due to the broken seal on the pasteurizer, the products may be under pasteurized, and they should recall the products.	Class II
2026-03-25	CLOVER SONOMA SOUR CREAM NET WT 8OZ UPC 0 70852 61800 5 & 16OZ UPC 0 70852 61500 4 DISTRIBUTED BY: CLOVER-STORNETTA FARMS LLC PETALUMA, CA 94952	SAPUTO CHEESE USA, INC	Potentially under pasteurized. The firm was notified by the California Department of Agriculture that due to the broken seal on the pasteurizer, the products may be under pasteurized, and they should recall the products.	Class II
2022-06-15	Frigo Part-Skim Low Moisture Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese Net Wt. 2lb. (907g) Saputo Cheese USA, Inc. Lincolnshire, IL 60069 UPC: 041716131138	Saputo Cheese USA Inc.	The 2 lb. units of Frigo Low Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese are being recalled due to the allergen of milk in the product not being declared on the label.	Class II
2017-04-05	Great Midwest Applewood Smoked Gouda Cheese, approximately 6 lbs, keep refrigerated	Saputo Cheese USA, Inc.	Certain Gouda Cheese products are being recalled after Saputo was notified by their supplier that the cheese may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.	Class I
2017-04-05	Dutchmark, Pasteurized Processed Smoked Gouda Cheese. Product case Label: 989922 Dutchmark, Net Wt 24.00.	Saputo Cheese USA, Inc.	Certain Gouda Cheese products are being recalled after Saputo was notified by their supplier that the cheese may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.	Class I
2016-12-14	WHOLE MILK CHEESE 8/6# VESUVIO BELLA; Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes. Distributed by US Foods UPC: #075805891658 Saputo code: #989165	Saputo Cheese USA, Inc.	Firm received one complaint from a food service customer stating a restaurant employee found white plastic in a loaf of cheese.	Class II
2016-12-14	MOZZARELLA STYLE LOW MOISTURE WHOLE MILK 8/6# HARVEST VALUE; Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes. UPC: #758108633766 Saputo code: #988995	Saputo Cheese USA, Inc.	Firm received one complaint from a food service customer stating a restaurant employee found white plastic in a loaf of cheese.	Class II

All 23 records for Saputo Cheese USA, Inc.

All 2018 recalls · All FDA food recall data

Behind every recall is a clause somebody has to produce evidence for at their next audit. Krolda maps supplier documents to the clause they satisfy in FSSC 22000, IFS Food and 21 CFR 117, and routes the corrective action when the evidence is missing.

Early access

Recall records come from the openFDA food enforcement API, published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the public domain. Krolda adds the hazard classification and the clause mapping; neither is an FDA determination. Always check the FDA notice before acting on a recall.