FDA Issues Listeria Warning For l’Explorateur Soft Cheese

Federal food safety officials indicate that consumers should not to eat certain l’Explorateur imported cheeses, due a potential risk of listeria food poisoning.

The FDA issued the l’Explorateur cheese warning on May 3, after recognizing the potential for the imported cheese products to contain Listeria monocytogenes; a dangerous and potentially harmful bacteria.

Due to the risks of food poisoning, retailers and consumers are being advised to stop eating, selling and serving certain imported l’Explorateur cheese products immediately. Products imported to the United States by Société Fromagère de la Brie of St. Simeon, France are subject to an Import Alert, so that the agency may determine if the products are safe for distribution across the United States.

The FDA puts import alerts in place on certain products to prevent potentially dangerous food and drugs from being distributed throughout the United States. The agency has the authority to issue what is known as a Detention Without Physical Examination (DWPE), which allows them to hold the products until the firm can show the products are not in violation of the FDA’s food safety requirements or laws.

The affected L’Explorateur cheese products were processed in the shape of a small, circular 250g wheel and packaged in clear containers. The impacted products contain “Sell By” dates May 7, 2019 and May 14, 2019 and are marked with product codes 7742-H 057 and 77432-H 064.

Listeria is a foodborne illness that can cause serious health consequences and can be fatal, especially for children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. The infection poses a significant threat to pregnant women, who may be at an increased risk for miscarriages or still-births.

The symptoms of listeria infection typically include nausea, muscle ache, diarrhea, fever, and fatigue. Some cases of listeria may become more life threatening when the infection moves through the bloodstream into the nervous system resulting in sometimes fatal infections.

Customers are being asked to immediately discard any of the affected products listed in the warning and to properly clean and disinfect any surfaces the cheese products may have come in contact with. Individuals who believe they may be experiencing symptoms of listerosis should contact their healthcare provider immediately.