Benton Harbor company recalls cheeses due to possible contamination

Photo courtesy: U.S. Food and Drug Administration

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. - A Benton Harbor company has issued a voluntary recall of two of its cheeses because of possible contamination, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Old Europe Cheese, Inc. recalled its Brie and Camembert cheese because of a possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young kids, elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems.

The organism can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths, according to the FDA.

Healthy individuals may have short-term symptoms from the contamination, including high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

Recalled products are found under a number of brands. These products have best by dates from September 28 through December 14, 2022.

The recalled products were distributed from August 1 through September 28, 2022 at stores nationwide, including Meijer, Fresh Thyme, and Whole Foods.

Click here for a full list of products, which now also includes the Saint Louis brand.

Retailers may have repackaged bulk Old Europe Cheese into smaller containers so the repackaged product may not have the original labeling and product information.

If you have purchased any of the listed products, you're asked to throw them out.

The FDA recommends consumers clean and sanitize any surfaces and containers the recalled products might have touched. Listeria can survive in chilled temperatures and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces.

Consumers that have questions on this recall can contact Old Europe Cheese at 269-925-5003 Ext. 335 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 2 to 4 p.m.

The recall was issued after a sample from one of the company's facilities tested positive for Listeria. None of the company's products showed contamination but the issue was recalled to avoid any risk.

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