Leading brands for '100%' grated Parmesan cheese contain one non-dairy ingredient that is now sparking lawsuits
Several purveyors of grated Parmesan cheese are in hot water after an investigation by Bloomberg. The investigation revealed that some cheeses advertised as "100% cheese" in fact contain high amounts of cellulose, an FDA approved filler made from wood pulp and cotton.
Produced by Emma Fierberg. Original reporting by Jessica Orwig.
When asked for comment Walmart responded with the following:
"We know earning customer trust starts with high standards, both inside the package and out. This item meets federal regulations for its standard of identity. Using anti-caking aids is common across the industry and approved by the FDA. We never waiver on quality and will continue to ensure our product specifications are met.” -John Forrest, Spokesperson
And Walmart had this to say about Marc Moschetta's lawsuit:
“We know earning customer trust starts with high standards for the products we carry. We take this matter seriously and will respond to the allegations appropriately with the court.” -John Forrest, Spokesperson
When asked for comment Jewel-Osco responded with the following:
"Jewel-Osco removed all Essential Everyday Parmesan Cheese products from all 185 stores on February 17th. Our supplier of the Parmesan cheese is aware of the issue and we look forward to learning more about their investigation. Also, prior to the recall Jewel-Osco had been phasing out the brand and replacing the items with the Jewel-Osco Signature Brand." - Mary Frances Trucco, Communications Manager
When asked for comment Whole Foods responded with the following:
"We’ve reviewed with our supplier and have confirmed that there is no added cellulose after performing third party testing. There is a standard of error on testing fibers like cellulose that can lead to false positive results, which is what we believed happened in this case.” -Blaire Kniffin, Spokesperson
Kraft did not immediately respond for a request to comment.
Follow BI Video: On Twitter