FDA Reportedly Receiving Complaints About Mold in Lunchly — Details Here

It sounds like Lunchly has a string of unhappy customers after multiple shoppers have claimed that some of the company's products contain moldy cheese.

Not only have videos featuring the alleged growths been shared on social media, but now the FDA has received reports from customers as well. The backlash has been fiercest amongst those who have called the company out over its initial claims that Lunchly would serve as a healthy alternative to other prepackaged meals, like Lunchables.

Read more about the consumer complaints below, including what one medical expert have to say about the nutritional side of the ready-to-eat meal packs designed by YouTubers MrBeast, Logan Paul, and KSI.

YouTube personality Rosanna Pansino made the discovery firsthand on her self-titled YouTube channel when she attempted to compare the Logan Paul product against similar Lunchables. But, just a few minutes into her video, she discovered that the cheese in "The Pizza" package had begun to turn green from the mold.

Pansino held the package up to share her discovery with her followers and to show off the fact that the package said the product was good through Dec. 8, 2024, which made her question the safety of the company's products beyond the questionable nutritional value she was originally going to discuss.

After she confirmed that the cheese should've still been good according to Lunchly's own product dates, she began to theorize what could've been behind the growth.

In the end, Pansino surmised that it likely had to do with the fact that the glue used to seal the protective cover to the packaging was likely to blame, calling the sealant "cheap."

Her complaints about the product didn't stop there, though. Pansino continued to test the various parts of the Lunchly product despite the moldy cheese, pointing out design flaws — the sauce packet lacked a "tear line," which Pansino says will likely make it hard for little kids to open them on their own during lunch — as she went.

On Oct. 25, 2024, TMZ Sports reported that it had been in contact with members of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which confirmed that as of Friday, over 10 people have reported issues with Lunchly, including one that cited an illness.

Per the outlet, the FDA is "currently reviewing all submissions ... and will provide updates as it determines whether issuing an advisory is necessary to protect public health."

Pansino wasn't the only unhappy customer sharing their experience with Lunchly. TikTok was full of complaints from shoppers who were disappointed to find mold in the product advertised as a healthy alternative to Lunchables.

In fact, @clearlynews mocked the company in a TikTok video about the mold, suggesting that the reason Lunchables opts to use heavily processed ingredients helps prevent mold and extend the product's shelf life.

It's not just disappointed shoppers speaking out about Lunchly. YouTube's Doctor Mike made a video addressing the product, specifically tackling the claims that the ultra processed food was "healthier" or "better for you" than other products.

Doctor Mike also pointed out the ingredients list was missing key details about the meal kits, including important pieces of information like sodium and saturated fat content. 

While the decision of what to feed your child is a deeply personal one, it seems like Doctor Mike is hoping that parents will opt for less prepackaged options like these ready-to-eat kits and choose more nutritional picks.

Folks on social media platforms like Reddit took a more tongue-in-cheek approach to the news of mold, with some saying, "I like my cheese mold, bruh," in response.

Only time will tell if the moldy cheese is an ongoing issue that will need to be addressed by Paul and the rest of his collaborators, or if this was just the growing pains of a newly launched product.

This article, originally published on Oct. 21, 2024, has been updated.