Caseificio Voglie di Latte Burrata Recall: Listeria Contamination

Fresca Italia, Inc. has issued a Burrata recall, due to concerns that the fresh cheese may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. The product, which is labeled “Caseificio Voglie di Latte” Burrata, has been sold in retail stores and restaurants throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Southern California.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture discovered that certain products sampled contained the bacteria, which can cause severe food poisoning. While most healthy individuals will only suffer short term symptoms like headache, nausea, abdominal pain or diarrhea, young children, elderly people and those with a weak immune system could suffer a severe infection. For pregnant women, listeria infections could also cause a miscarriage or stillbirth.

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria commonly found in soil, water, sewage, plants and food, which can lead to listeriosis. As a result of the infections ability to spread to the nervous system and cause meningitis, it carries a fatality rate of approximately 25%.

Burrata is a fresh Italian cheese, made from mozzarella and cream, which has a unique soft texture. The recalled Caseificio Voglie di Latte Burrata is wrapped in a white and green plastic sheet with an expiration date of “24/5/2008″.