This Simple Packaging Error Led To One Of The Biggest Cheese Recalls In US History

Few foods are as instantly recognizable in American food culture as Kraft Singles — individually wrapped, square, bright yellow and designed to melt flawlessly onto burgers and grilled cheese. It has been said that the invention of Kraft Singles changed the world of processed cheese. However, in 2023, that same "peel out" packaging that makes this cheese so iconic became the very reason for a massive voluntary recall.

In its announcement, Kraft Heinz explained that due to a malfunction in one of its machines, the plastic wrapping wasn't fully detaching when someone removed the slice, and it wasn't particularly noticeable either. So naturally, this left a real and genuine choking hazard that was particularly concerning for children or older consumers, even though the cheese itself was safe to eat. Because the risk was tied to packaging rather than contamination, the recall could have easily flown under the radar for many shoppers, but the scale can't be overstated — 83,800 cases of cheese were pulled from shelves nationwide. This easily makes it one of the most substantial cheese recalls in recent United States history, and while recalls of processed foods aren't uncommon, few involve such a universally stocked product across major grocery chains, making this alone one of the worst recalls for Aldi in the chain's history — and basically every other supermarket that stocks Kraft Singles.

Because Kraft Heinz moved quickly, no serious injuries were reported from the problem, but still, the incident caused choking for some customers, which lands very awkwardly for a product built on nostalgia and reliability. When a food is designed to be that easy to use, even a small hiccup could cause some consumers to put it on the list of Kraft products to keep out of your grocery cart forever. 

That's why it's so important to pay attention to the specifics of recalls. Unlike more panic-inducing contamination scares, these types tend to live in a murkier space with no bacteria to fear, just a quiet mechanical flaw you'd never know about until you're already unwrapping lunch — or, even scarier, without you noticing at all until you end up choking. Fortunately, grocery stores took it seriously. 

For cheese single lovers, don't worry; the takeaway isn't to panic-buy artisanal cheese or swear off processed slices forever. But it is a gentle reminder to check how products and their packaging behave at home because sometimes, it's not what's in your food that matters but how it gets into your home in the first place.