Kraft Heinz has released a public apology over its recall of 36,000 cases of cheese. The food giant said that it deeply regretted the need to institute the recall, and it apologized to the customers it let down, but the recall had to be initiated for safety reasons. Thousands of pasteurized cheese slices were recalled due to a choking risk.
The defect related to the cheese’s packaging. When a consumer tries to remove a processed cheese slice from affected packages, there is the danger that a piece will remain stuck to the cheese and be consumed, which could result in choking and death by suffocation.
Already, Kraft has received several reports of consumers choking on affected cheese slices. Fortunately, no deaths or serious injuries were caused by the incidents that have been reported so far.
The recall specifically affects Kraft Singles American and White American pasteurized cheese slices, which are individually wrapped in plastic. Part of the plastic has a problem of staying adhered, even though it appears that all the plastic has been removed from the product. This can be confusing to consumers and presents a significant risk.
The recalled cheese will show a “best when used by” date of anywhere from Dec. 29, 2015 to Jan. 4, 2016. The cheese will also have the listed manufacturing codes of either S54 or S55. Kraft is asking consumers not to consume affected cheese slices, but to take them to the store where they purchased them for a complete refund or exchange. The recalled cheese packages were delivered throughout the entire United States, so it does not appear that anyone is immune to this recall.
In the event that a consumer develops a serious or catastrophic injury caused by choking on an affected slice of cheese, the person may wish to consult with a legal professional to evaluate the possibility of seeking financial restitution in court.
Source: Los Angeles Tims, “Why a massive recall of Kraft Singles cheese slices? They could choke you.,” Samantha Bonar, Aug. 03, 2015
