Expanded cheese recall: Family Farmstead Dairy is recalling all of its raw mild and sharp cheddar cheese products because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a potentially dangerous bacterium.
Distributed in 12 states: The recalled cheese was sold in retail stores across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and parts of the South, including Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee.
Second contamination concern: The recall follows an October 15 recall of certain cheddar products because of possible contamination with two strains of E. coli.
Family Farmstead Dairy of Worcester, New York, is recalling all of its cheddar cheese products because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections.
The expanded recall, posted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), covers raw mild and sharp cheddar cheese packaged in eight-ounce, plastic-wrapped blocks.
The products were distributed through retail stores in 12 states: New York, New Jersey, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee.
The company said it is recalling all affected cheddar products with expiration dates of October 16, 2027, or earlier.
The recall comes less than a month after Family Farmstead Dairy announced a separate recall involving possible E. coli contamination in certain raw cheddar products.
Which cheese products are recalled?
The recall includes two products sold under the Family Farmstead brand:
Raw Mild Cheddar, eight-ounce plastic-wrapped packages, with lot codes or best-by dates of October 16, 2027, or earlier.
Raw Sharp Cheddar, eight-ounce plastic-wrapped packages, with lot codes or best-by dates of October 16, 2027, or earlier.
No other Family Farmstead Dairy products are included in the recall unless specifically identified by the company.
Consumers should check the packaging and expiration dates carefully, since the affected products have relatively long shelf lives and may still be stored in refrigerators.
The FDA announcement does not specify how many packages were distributed or whether any illnesses have been reported in connection with the latest recall.
Second recall in less than a month
The latest action follows an October 15 recall involving certain Family Farmstead Raw Mild Cheddar products because of possible contamination with two strains of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, identified as O26:H11 and O45:H2.
That earlier recall involved cheese with a lot code and best-by date of July 22, 2027.
According to the FDA's original recall notice, the contamination concern was discovered after testing in Maryland identified the bacteria in samples of the company's raw cheddar cheese.
At the time, the company said it had received no reports of illnesses associated with the recalled product.
The latest recall is considerably broader, extending to both mild and sharp cheddar products and covering all lot codes through the specified expiration date.
The company's announcement does not explain how the possible Listeria contamination was discovered or whether it is related to the earlier E. coli findings.
What to do
Consumers who have eaten the recalled cheese and develop symptoms should contact a healthcare professional and mention the possible exposure.
Consumers who purchased the affected Family Farmstead cheddar cheese should not eat it.
The company says the products may be returned to the place of purchase. Consumers may also contact Family Farmstead Dairy directly for assistance.
Anyone who has stored the recalled cheese should also consider cleaning refrigerator surfaces, utensils and cutting boards that may have come into contact with it to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
Family Farmstead Dairy can be reached at (607) 397-4044, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by email at customerservice@familyfarmsteaddairy.com.