Following fears of possible Listeria monocytogenes contaminations in cheese products sold by Whole Foods Market, the company is recalling all sell-by-dates cheese in all stores nationwide. The particular cheese affected by this nationwide recall is the Papillion Organic Roquefort, which is a type of blue cheese.
The listeria contamination was discovered by agents of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) who were conducting a routine sampling of the cheese. They found the listeria infection in a complete wheel of uncut cheese, prompting the recall by Whole Foods.
The foods company says the affected cheese can be identified by the scale label that starts with the numbers PLU 029536. And to this end, all batches for all sales dates are to be recalled. No one has reported being sick after consuming the cheese, but all the cheese have been ordered off store shelves nationwide.
Listeria monocytogenes is an infection that can cause muscle stiffness, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, high fever, and acute headaches if not too serious; but in a severe case it can lead to meningitis, encephalitis, septicemia, endocarditis, miscarriage, stillbirths, abscesses, and listeriosis among others.
Young children, aged people, and those with compromised immune systems are most at risk of getting worse from listeria contamination. And an individual can start to show symptoms anywhere from two to 60 days after infection, making tracking the disease tough for medical personnel.
Consumers who have purchased this product from Whole Foods Market stores may bring their receipt to the shop for a full refund. Those with questions are urged to contact their local store or call 512-477-5566 ext. 20060 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST.
