If you’ve got some Brie or Camembert cheese in your fridge right now, it’s time to take a closer look. The CDC has published a food safety alert for Brie and Camembert cheese produced by Old Europe Cheese, Inc. The Benton Harbor, Michigan-based cheese company has issued a voluntary recall of these products as they may contain listeria monocytogenes.
An audit of 120 samples of product and the company’s facilities found a positive sample of listeria, and the strain from this positive case has been linked to six cases of listeriosis from 2017 to 2022. “These cases were not previously linked to this company’s products, but Old Europe Cheese decided to do this voluntary recall in order to avoid any risk to their customers,” the FDA announcement notes.
Listeria can cause serious, sometimes fatal, infections in young children, the elderly, and others with weakened immune systems. “Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women,” the announcement reads.
The recalled products were sold at supermarkets, wholesale, and retail stores nationwide and in Mexico, including Albertsons, Safeway, Meijer, Stop & Shop, Lidl, Sprouts, and Whole Foods. Best-by dates range from September 28, 2022 to December 14, 2022. A comprehensive list of recalled products detailing the brand, product name, and UPC code can be found here.
If you have one of the recalled cheeses in your refrigerator, do not consume it. Instead, discard it immediately and take care to clean and sanitize any surfaces and containers that have come into contact with the contaminated product. As noted in the release, “listeria can survive in refrigerated temperatures and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces,” so be sure to clean thoroughly. If you have any further questions about the recall, you can call Old Europe Cheese at 269-925-5003, extension 335.
Wondering what other recalls and public health alerts have been issued lately from your favorite brands? Check out this page that’s updated regularly to stay in the know.