Kraft recalls American cheese slices over choking hazard

Kraft Heinz said Tuesday that it’s recalling more than 83,000 cases of its iconic, individually-wrapped Kraft Singles American processed cheese slices, citing choking hazards.

The company, which is co-headquartered in Chicago and Pittsburg, said in a press release that there was a “temporary issue developed on one of our wrapping machines, making it possible that a thin strip of the individual film may remain on the slice after the wrapper has been removed.”

“If the film sticks to the slice and is not removed, it could be unpleasant and potentially cause a gagging or choking hazard,” Kraft Heinz warned.

The recall comes after six consumers complained that they choked or gagged on a piece of plastic wrap.

“No injuries or serious health issues have been reported,” Kraft said.

Affected products include the 16-ounce Kraft Singles American Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product with a “best when used by date” of Jan. 10, 2024, through Jan. 27, 2024, as well as three-pound multipacks of Kraft Singles American Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product with a “best when used by date” of Jan. 9, 2024, through Jan. 13, 2024.

Customers who purchased the now-recalled processed cheese slices can return them for an exchange or refund, or are encouraged to contact Kraft Heinz for a refund to receive a reimbursement.

The company — which makes other highly-processed foods like Cheez Whiz and Oscar Mayer hot dogs — also assured that it has fixed the machine that caused the defective plastic wrapping.

Representatives for Kraft Heinz did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.

In similar news, the US Department of Agriculture warned on Friday that nearly 30 tons — about 58,000 pounds — of raw ground beef has been recalled due to a possible E. coli contamination.

The government agency announced that American Foods Group, LLC, doing business as Green Bay Dressed Beef, LLC, recalled several ground beef products shipped to Georgia, Michigan and Ohio, claiming that they may be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli.

The items were produced on Aug. 14 and recalled the following day.

Any consumers that got their hands on the possibly-infected meat should throw it away or return it to the place of purchase, the USDA advised.

The possible contamination of the products was discovered when the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service team was notified that a state public health official collected a sample that tested positive for the bacteria.

However, there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions from these products.

E. coli is bacteria found in the environment, food and the intestines of people and animals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

People who consume certain strains of the organism may develop symptoms including diarrhea, vomiting, fever and stomach cramps for an average of three to four days.

Some illnesses last longer and can be more severe, but most people recover within a week.

Along with flu-like symptoms, E. coli could be behind more than a half-million urinary tract infections in the US each year.