On February 9, Tennessee officials reported that a slice of Amish Classics Colby Cheese from a store in Trenton tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that can cause deadly food poisoning.
The cheese was manufactured in Indiana by Deutsch Käse Haus, LLC, a company that was cited by the FDA in 2009 after Listeria was found on surfaces inside the facility.
The cheese was distributed to MDS Foods Inc., also known as “MDS Cheese,” a 3rd-party supplier that cuts and re-packages bulk cheese products for deli counters, grocery stores, and other food retailers.
MDS Cheese recalled Amish Classics, Meijer, Deli Readi, Deli Made EZ, Lipari Old Tyme, Duck Deli, and Old Tyme cheese. Those recalls triggered a chain-reaction of recalls. The list continues to grow, but here are some of the most recent:
Meijer Supermarkets (February 10): Colby and Colby-Jack cheese sold at Meijer deli from November 10, 2016 to February 9, 2017.
Sargento Cheese Recall (February 10)
- Sargento Ultra Thin Sliced Longhorn Colby, 6.84 oz., UPC 4610000228, with “Sell By” dates of “12APR17B” and “10MAY17B”
- Sargento Chef Blends Shredded Nacho & Taco Cheese, 8 oz., UPC 4610040041, with “Sell By” dates of “H14JUN17” and “H12JUL17.”
- Sargento Sliced Colby-Jack Cheese, 12 oz., UPC 4610000109 with “Sell By” date of “11JUN17B”
- Sargento Sliced Pepper Jack Cheese, 12 oz., UPC 4610000108 with “Sell By” dates of “12JUN17B”, “09JUL17B” and “10JUL17B”
- Sargento Chef Blends Shredded Taco Cheese, 8 oz., UPC 4610040002 with “Sell By” dates of “H14JUN17”, “F28JUN17” and “D28JUN17”
- Sargento Off The Block Shredded Fine Cut Colby-Jack Cheese, 8 oz., UPC 4610040014 with “Sell By” date of “F05JUL17”
- Sargento Off The Block Shredded Fine Cut Cheddar Jack Cheese, 8 oz., UPC 4610040076 with “Sell By” date of “F05JUL17”
Sara Lee Deli (February 11): Alabama, California, Louisiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
- Sara Lee® Deli Sliced Monterey Jack Cheese with Jalapeno Peppers, Item number 40205, Product Lot #A319349610, USE BY JUN-12-17
- Sara Lee® Sliced Colby Jack Cheese, Item Number 40208, Product Lot #A319348610, USE BY JUN-11-17
H-E-B and Safeway (February 11): 6,330 pounds of chicken salad made with Sargento cheese.
- Signature Cafe Southwest Chicken Premade Salad, 10.5 oz. plastic trays with the following “USE BY” dates: “2/13/17, 2/14/17 or 2/15/17.”
- Signature Café Southwest Style Salad with Chicken, 10.5 oz. plastic trays with the following “USE BY” dates: “2/14/17, 2/15/17 or 2/16/17.”
- H-E-B Shake Rattle & Bowl Rowdy Ranch Hand (contains pork), 8.25 oz. plastic trays with the following “USE BY” dates: “2/17/17, 2/18/17 or 2/19/17.”
Listeria is a bacteria that can grow in refrigerators and deli counters. Infections are rare, but most people have to be hospitalized. Around 5-10% of infections get out of the intestines and into the bloodstream, resulting in septicemia or meningitis. In pregnant women, Listeria can cause miscarriage or stillbirth.
No infections have been linked to the recalled cheese, but it can take up to 70 days for symptoms to appear. They may include high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
Source: Sargento Cheese Recalled Over Listeria Fears
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