Walmart Has Issued a Recall of Popular Cottage Cheese Product

Walmart shoppers are being asked to check their refrigerators after the company announced that it had recalled its Great Value brand cottage cheese.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shared the recall, which is in effect across 24 states, including Alaska, California, Georgia, and others. According to the FDA, concerns over how the product was pasteurized are at the heart of the recall, which was issued on Feb. 24, 2026. It sounds like the issue happened at a processing plant.

Walmart and the FDA are now asking customers to discontinue using the recalled cottage cheese immediately.

You can learn more about the cottage cheese recall below, as well as what can happen to anyone who consumes unpasteurized or poorly pasteurized products, and what signs and symptoms you need to be on the lookout for if you believe you've consumed any of the products included in Walmart's 2026 Great Value brand cottage cheese recall.

The recall was posted by the FDA, and it includes the following products:

• Great Value Fat Free Small Curd Cottage Cheese – 0% Milkfat (24-ounce only), UPC: 078742373393
• Great Value Lowfat Small Curd Cottage Cheese – 2% Milkfat (24-ounce only), UPC: 078742116730
• Great Value Small Curd Cottage Cheese – 4% milkfat minimum (24-ounce, 16-ounce, and 3-pound containers), UPC: 078742372358, 078742372365, and 078742147970

The products were sold in 24 states across the country, according to the FDA.

Some of the states include Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Missouri, and more. You can get a full list of all the states impacted by visiting the FDA's website.

The FDA says that Walmart was alerted to the issue after a troubleshooting exercise was completed by the manufacturer Saputo, which was working with the California Department of Food and Agriculture at the time. Once the company realized that some unpasteurized ingredients could've made it into the product, it issued a recall.

Those who have unused cottage cheese at home are being asked to discontinue eating it at once. Consumer Reports says that customers can contact Walmart directly for a refund. Those with questions about the recall are being advised to reach out to Saputo by calling 888-587-2423 during regular business hours.

Fortunately, there haven't been any illnesses or injuries reported as a result of this recall as of the time of publication.

Consumer Reports' head of product and food safety research and testing says that consuming unpasteurized foods can be dangerous, since the pasteurization process — which the International Dairy Foods Association says involves heating food to temperatures of up to 280 degrees for a few seconds before lowering temperatures — is important for killing dangerous pathogens like E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella.

“For high-risk groups — including the elderly, young children, and those with weakened immune systems — consuming under-pasteurized dairy-based products can lead to severe, life-threatening complications," James E. Rogers told the publication.