A Walmart customer was shocked to find that the 3-pound block of sliced cheese she bought was covered in a strange-looking substance.
Walmart isn’t necessarily known for selling items in bulk like Costco and BJ’s. However, it is a common destination for big families looking to fill up their shopping cart without breaking the bank.
As you’ve probably experienced, groceries have become much more expensive since the pandemic. But Walmart has reliably low prices compared to other grocery stores.
Something strange on Walmart’s cheese
In a trending video with more than 160,000 views,
Tay (@.taytay2024) is a mom of six with five boys and a girl. In a viral TikTok, she shares that she just picked up some groceries from her local Walmart. Her haul included a big ‘ole 3-pound block of sliced American cheese.
When she opened up the packaging, she says she noticed there was something really unusual about it.
“There’s something all over the cheese,” Tay points out as she holds a chunk of melted-together slices to the camera.
The cheese, which normally has a smooth surface, seems to be covered in tiny scratches and etchings. It also has a distinct shiny, nearly glittery sheen.
“Almost looks like glass, and it feels, it’s got a rough texture to it,” Tay says. .
Tay inspects the big block and notices it is on “every single piece of cheese.”
“I usually never have a problem with any cheese I get a Walmart but i usually get the bricks,” Tay said in a comment reply.
She says she will be taking the product back to Walmart for a refund. She also says she won’t be buying the same cheese out of fear that the new one will have the same issue.
@.taytay2024 #walmart #cheese #viral #fypシ゚viral #refund ♬ original sound – .taytay2024
What’s on the cheese?
People in the comments section offered their fair share of guesses as to what could be on the cheese.
“Metal shavings from the slicer? no idea but possible,” a commenter wrote.
“They put that stuff in all shredded cheese too, so it doesn’t stick together, I think it’s sawdust,” another added.
“That looks like fiberglass omg!” a person pointed out.
Cellulose
At least with shredded cheese, it is common for the dairy-based substance to be covered in a powdery substance called cellulose that prevents the cheese strands from sticking together and absorbs excess moisture (to help prevent mold growth), Today reported.
But get this: The cellulose added to food is usually made from wood pulp or cotton lint, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, an independent food and health watchdog group.
But that doesn’t mean it isn’t safe to eat. In fact, it’s FDA-approved and used in thousands of products sold in grocery stores.
“The edible cellulose … used in food is extracted and removed from the non-edible portion,” registered dietitian Kristina Cooke told Today. “(It) is molecularly the same cellulose that exists in virtually all plant matter.”
Cheese crystals
“Cheese crystals” are another possibility for what was on Tay’s cheese. People often confuse cheese crystals for mold or yeast.
“Cheese crystals are formed over time by the breakdown of fats and proteins. Fats and proteins bond together in chains when cheese is formed. As the cheese ages, the protein detaches from the fat, leaving behind small crunchy crystals that you see,” an artisanal cheese site explained.
The crystals are safe to eat and add a crunchy, sea salt-like texture. They’re most commonly found in aged cheeses.
Fiberglass
The last and likely most disturbing theory is that the cheese was covered in fiberglass, a plastic made from glass fibers. Fiberglass is known to irritate human skin, eyes, and the respiratory system.
While another mom said her cheese slices were covered in a glass-like substance, a spokesperson from Kraft Foods said they were likely cheese crystals (as we explained above) that formed when the cheese got too hot.
Tay said in a comment that Walmart told her it would be doing an investigation.
The Daily Dot reached out to Tay for comment via Instagram direct message and comment and to Walmart via email.
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