Feb. 19--Jewel-Osco has pulled Essential Everyday Parmesan Cheese from all 185 of its stores amid concerns that the grated cheese contains high levels of cellulose, an anti-clumping agent made from wood.
Spokeswoman Mary Frances Trucco confirmed the move in an email Friday. Jewel was in the process of phasing out the brand in favor of its Jewel-Osco Signature Brand. Trucco wouldn't say whether the new brand name is made by the same manufacturer.
The concern about high levels of cellulose stems from a Food and Drug Administration investigation of Castle Cheese. Bloomberg News conducted a test with an independent laboratory, the results of which were reported this week, that showed the Essential Everyday brand cheese was 8.8 percent cellulose. An acceptable level is considered to be 2 to 4 percent.
According to Bloomberg, Jewel's Essential Everyday brand contained the highest levels of cellulose among the brands it tested, including Wal-Mart's Great Value Brand, Kraft and Whole Foods 365.
Whole Foods and Kraft disputed that there was too much cellulose in their cheese. All four retailers said they were looking into the findings.
Jewel didn't identify the manufacturer of its Essential Everyday or Signature Brand cheeses.
sbomkamp@tribpub.com
