Cheddar cheese products recalled in US amid E. coli and listeria outbreak
The recall is due to the products being linked to the multistate E. coli outbreaks, the US Food and Drug Administration says
The recent E. coli and listeria outbreaks have forced several manufacturers to recall raw cheddar cheese products. More recently, the California-based brand Raw Farm has issued a voluntary recall of its cheddar cheese products. The recall is due to the products being linked to the multistate E. coli outbreaks, the US Food and Drug Administration says.
Why are cheddar cheese products being recalled?
FDA announced the recall in a statement last week that reads, “On February 15, 2024, Raw Farm was contacted by the FDA and CDC regarding the epidemiological possibility that Raw Farm raw cheddar cheese might have caused some illnesses within a date range of October 18th 2023 and January 31 st 2024.”
“During this period, there were ten faecal samples collected from patients in 4 states that appeared to match one another in the National PULSENET database,” the department said. “This recall is in abundance of caution strictly based on faecal samples submitted to PULSENET,” the FDA added.
While none of the products that have been made available for sale to consumers tested positive for E. coli, the recall is underway for precautionary reasons. The following products are subject to recall, per the FDA's official statement:
16-ounce Raw Cheddar Cheese - Pound block, barcode 835204000156
8-ounce Raw Cheddar Cheese - Half-pound block, barcode 835204001177
8-ounce Raw Cheddar Cheese - Half-pound shred, barcode 835204001184
Previous listeria outbreak
The recall by Raw Farms is linked to the E. coli outbreak and not listeria. Earlier this month, another California-based company, Rizo-López Foods, recalled close to 60 dairy products, including queso, fresco, cream cheese, yoghurt, and cotija cheese.
On February 5, the company issued a statement saying that it is “voluntarily recalling its dairy products listed below because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes” after CDC's guidelines.
