NEW YORK (AP): Kraft said Thursday it is recalling its Velveeta cheese product from Walmart stores in as many as 12 states, mostly in the Midwest, because the cheese product lacks the proper amount of preservatives.

Insufficient levels of sorbic acid has led to the recall of 260 cases of Velveeta original pasteurized recipe cheese product because it could cause the cheese product to spoil prematurely or cause food-borne illnesses.

Kraft Foods Group Inc. said the cheese product was sent to three Walmart distribution centers and could have been shipped to as many as 12 states: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

The company said the code on the packages is 021000611614. The packages also have a date stamp that reads “17 DEC 2014” and the timeframe is between 10:54 and 14:35.