2 min read- Select Walmart Great Value brand cottage cheese products have been recalled because they were not fully pasteurized.
- Consuming unpasteurized milk products can carry dangerous germs and lead to food poisoning.
- The affected products were distributed to Walmart stores across the country.
If you get your protein fix from cottage cheese, you’re going to want to check your fridge. Walmart-brand cottage cheese has been recalled due to the possibility that the liquid dairy ingredients in the products were not fully pasteurized. The problem was discovered during pasteurizer troubleshooting exercises conducted by the producer SUSA, in conjunction with the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
Dairy processor Saputo Cheese USA Inc. voluntarily issued the recall as consuming products that are not fully pasteurized can pose a significant health risk, according to the alert. “Raw milk can carry dangerous germs such as Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, Campylobacter, and others that cause foodborne illness, often called ‘food poisoning,’” the FDA explains.
The affected products were sold under Walmart’s Great Value label and distributed to stores across the country. The states in which the cottage cheese was distributed include Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
The affected products include:
- Great Value Fat Free Small Curd Cottage Cheese—0% Milkfat sold in 24-ounce containers with the UPC code 078742373393 and best if used by dates of April 1 and April 3, 2026.
- Great Value Lowfat Small Curd Cottage Cheese—2% Milkfat sold in 24-ounce containers with the UPC code 078742116730 and best if used by dates of April 1-3, 2026.
- Great Value Small Curd Cottage Cheese—4% Milkfat minimum sold in 16-ounce, 24-ounce, and 3-pound containers, with the UPC codes 078742372358, 078742372365, 078742147970, and best if used by dates between April 1 and 3, 2026.
The affected products were sold between February 17 and 20, 2026, and were not fully pasteurized in accordance with state regulatory standards. The pasteurizer returned to normal function and was both verified and sealed by the California Department of Food and Agriculture; thus, no other products were affected.
Consumers who have purchased the affected products should not consume them and instead either dispose of or return them to their place of purchase for a full refund.