Listeria Cheese Recalls Continue to Expand Amid Contamination Concerns

More than 130 different cheese products have been recalled over concerns that users may face a risk of listeria food poisoning risks, and the list of impacted products continues to grow. 

Since a Sargento cheese recall and Meijer’s cheese recall were first announced on February 10, the FDA has continued to release recall notices for different cheese products, which are all linked to an Indiana manufacturer.

The listeria cheese recall was expanded again on February 17, when MDS Foods Inc. issued an updated list of all affected products to date.

Food inspectors from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture reported on February 10, 2017 that the results of their routine random sample testing of equipment and food products at the Deutsch Kase Haus of Middlebury, Indiana manufacturing plant confirmed a positive presence for listeria, prompting the manufacturer to begin notifying its recipients.

The massive cheese recall was first announced by the FDA after the regional grocer, Meijer, received an urgent notice from their supplier MDS Foods that certain cheese products manufactured by Deutsch Kase Haus of Middlebury, Indiana had the potential to be contaminated with the foodborne illness listeria following the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s positive listeria readings.

Following the initial recall by Meijer, a series of recalls were initiated by additional recipient companies including Guggisberg Cheese, Inc., Biery Cheese Company, Saputo Inc., MDS Foods Inc., and Dutch Valley Foods. According to the recall notices, no illnesses reports have been received and many companies have stated in their recall notice they are recalling their products out of an abundance of caution.

To date, more than 130 cheese products sold under the brand names Amish Classics, Deli Made EZ, Deli Ready, Dietz & Watson, Meijer, Old Tyme, Troyer, Winder Farms, Duck Deli, La Rosa, Sutters Quality Foods, and Madison Valley have been recalled for potential listeria contamination.

These products were distributed nationwide to various retailers and grocery outlets from early November 2016 to as recently as February 10, 2017. For a full list of the recalled products with Brand names, item numbers, container size, and UPC Codes and production dates please visit the recall list linked above.

The manufacturers and FDA are asking consumers and retailers to make sure any affected cheese is removed from shelves and homes.

While there have been no reported illnesses to date, the incubation period for symptoms of listeria poisoning can be as long as 70 days, and many of the recalled cheese products have shelf lives up to May or June of 2017, creating a concerns that products may sit on shelves unnoticed.

Listeria is a foodborne illness that can cause serious health consequences and can be fatal, especially forchildren, 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 urged not to consume any cheese products that are either within the recalls or products that have unreadable labels, and to return them to their place of purchase for a full refund. For additional questions or concerns regarding the recall customers may contact MDS Foods Customer Service at 330-879-9780.