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Saputo Cheese USA Inc. announced on February 24, 2026 that it is voluntarily recalling select Great Value cottage cheese products because liquid dairy ingredients used in the items may not have been fully pasteurized according to state regulatory standards. [1] The issue was discovered during pasteurizer troubleshooting exercises conducted by Saputo in conjunction with the California Department of Food and Agriculture. [1]
Pasteurization Failure
Saputo’s pasteurizer malfunctioned during production of Great Value cottage cheese products, potentially failing to heat liquid dairy ingredients to temperatures sufficient to kill harmful pathogens. Without proper pasteurization, dairy products can harbor dangerous bacteria including E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria, and Campylobacter that cause severe foodborne illnesses and death.
Affected Products
The recall includes five Great Value cottage cheese products sold in white plastic tubs with white lids and Best By dates located on the side of container lids:
- Great Value Fat Free Small Curd Cottage Cheese (0% Milkfat) – 24 oz., UPC 078742373393, Best If Used By April 1 or April 3, 2026
- Great Value Lowfat Small Curd Cottage Cheese (2% Milkfat) – 24 oz., UPC 078742116730, Best If Used By April 1, 2, or 3, 2026
- Great Value Small Curd Cottage Cheese (4% Milkfat) – 16 oz., UPC 078742372358, Best If Used By April 2, 2026
- Great Value Small Curd Cottage Cheese (4% Milkfat) – 24 oz., UPC 078742372365, Best If Used By April 2 or 3, 2026
- Great Value Small Curd Cottage Cheese (4% Milkfat) – 3 lb., UPC 078742147970, Best If Used By April 1 or 2, 2026
24-State Distribution
Saputo distributed the potentially unpasteurized cottage cheese to Walmart stores and distribution centers in 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 between February 17-20, 2026. No illnesses or hospitalizations have been reported as of the recall date.
Health Risks
Consuming unpasteurized dairy products poses significant health risks, especially to young children, elderly individuals, pregnant women, and immunocompromised persons. Unpasteurized dairy can contain E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria, and Campylobacter causing symptoms ranging from diarrhea and vomiting to kidney failure, paralysis, and death.
Listeria infections are particularly dangerous for pregnant women, causing miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery, or life-threatening infections in newborns. E. coli can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome leading to kidney failure, while Campylobacter may trigger Guillain-Barré syndrome causing temporary paralysis.
Manufacturing Negligence
Saputo’s pasteurizer malfunction represents a fundamental failure of food safety systems designed to protect consumers from dangerous pathogens. The company’s quality control processes failed to detect the pasteurization defect before distributing potentially lethal products to Walmart stores across 24 states.
Legal Claims
Strict products liability claims allege Saputo manufactured and sold defective cottage cheese products containing unpasteurized dairy ingredients that pose unreasonable dangers to consumers. Negligence claims allege Saputo breached its duty to implement adequate quality control systems to verify pasteurization effectiveness before distributing dairy products.
Breach of warranty claims assert unpasteurized cottage cheese is unfit for its ordinary purpose of safe human consumption. Failure to warn claims assert Saputo knew or should have known about pasteurization failures but failed to immediately notify consumers.
Damages
Consumers who develop foodborne illnesses from unpasteurized cottage cheese may recover damages for medical expenses, hospitalization costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and permanent injuries. Families of individuals who die from infections can pursue wrongful death claims for funeral expenses, loss of companionship, and emotional devastation.
Class action litigation allows efficient resolution of claims from consumers across 24 states who purchased identical defective products. Punitive damages may be warranted if evidence shows Saputo continued distributing products despite knowing about pasteurization equipment problems.
Contact an Attorney
If you consumed recalled Great Value cottage cheese and developed foodborne illness symptoms, seek immediate medical attention and contact a product liability attorney. Preserve product packaging, purchase receipts, and medical records documenting all symptoms and treatments.
References
1. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/saputo-usa-recalls-great-value-cottage-cheese-because-possible-health-risk