Health Risk: Old Europe Cheese, Inc. has issued a voluntary recall of its Brie and Camembert cheeses.

Due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination, Old Europe Cheese, Inc. of Benton Harbor, Michigan is voluntarily recalling its Brie and Camembert cheeses. The voluntary recall applies to all Brie and Camembert products made by Old Europe Cheese with best before dates ending on December 14, 2022. Retailers that carried the products included Albertsons, Safeway, Meijer, Harding’s, Shaw’s, Price Chopper, Market Basket, Raley’s, Save Mart, Giant Foods, Stop & Shop, Fresh Thyme, Lidl, Sprouts, Athenian Foods, and Whole Foods. The products were distributed from August 1, 2022, through September 28, 2022. This list might not contain every retail location that has gotten the recalled product or it might include locations that didn’t actually get it.

Retailers may have repackaged big Old Europe Cheese items into smaller containers and sold this repackaged product to consumers. The following products are being recalled and have Best by Dates ranging from September 28, 2022, to December 14, 2022. The following product information and labeling may not be present on this repackaged item:

Listeria Infection:

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can infect people with weakened immune systems, including young children, the elderly, and frail people, and cause serious and occasionally fatal infections. While listeria infection can cause high fevers, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal discomfort, and diarrhea in healthy people, it can also result in miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.

Consumer advice:

Customers who have bought the specified Brie and Camembert items are advised not to eat it and to throw them away. To lessen the potential of cross-contamination, the FDA advises anyone who purchased or received any recalled products to exercise additional caution when disinfecting and cleaning any surfaces and containers that may have come into contact with these products. Listeria may endure in the cold and is easily contagious to other foods and objects.

Old Europe Cheese has set up a phone line at 269-925-5003 ext. 335 that is available Monday through Friday from 9:00 am-12:30 pm and 2:00 pm-4:00 pm ET to address any inquiries regarding this recall.

Background:

Following a thorough environmental examination of 120 samples of the product and the company’s facilities, this action was brought about. All of the products were free of contamination, however a sample from one of the sites tested positive. Six listeriosis infections from 2017 to 2022 have been related to the strain from that positive case. Old Europe Cheese decided to do this voluntary recall despite the fact that these cases had not previously been associated with the company’s goods in order to protect its customers.

Based on these findings and with an eye on the health of their customers, the company has chosen to voluntarily start the product recall. Old Europe Cheese has located the source of any potential contamination and is actively attempting to eradicate it. These items’ production has been halted, and it won’t resume until the company is completely confident in the effectiveness of the implemented procedures.

To make this voluntary recall as quick and easy as possible, the company is coordinating closely with local, state, and federal authorities as well as its customers. The top goal is the quality and safety of the products.

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