Estancia Holdings, a well-known food company, has issued a recall for its Tome Corse Sheep Ottavi Cheese due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
The recall specifically affects Estancia Holdings’ Tome Corse Sheep Ottavi Cheese, which is also labeled Fromager Ottavi Tome De Brebis Sheep Milk Cheese. The affected cheese is packaged in 2 x 3.5kg sized packages, and has a use by date of 08/05/2023. The lot number of the affected package is VC349.
The affected products were distributed to multiple locations across different states. The distributor was located in Portland Oregon, and all direct customers that received the packages were contacted by the distributor. Consumers who purchased the product indirectly are urged to check the labeling of their cheese products to determine if they have purchased any of the affected batches.
Although no illnesses have been reported in connection with the recalled cheese, consumers are advised to exercise caution. If consumers have purchased any of the affected products, they should refrain from consuming them and dispose of them properly or return them to the place of purchase for a refund.
The recall was initiated after routine testing revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in a sample of the affected cheese. Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can cause serious infections, particularly in individuals with weakened immune systems, pregnant women, and the elderly.
The CDC provides a list of ways to avoid contracting listeria monocytogenes: Do not eat unpasteurized soft cheeses, unheated cheese and meat from the deli, premade deli salads, refrigerated pâté, refrigerated smoked fish, raw sprouts, and raw unpasteurized milk, yogurt, and ice cream.
According to the FDA, common symptoms of listeria monocytogenes can include fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. If the listeriosis becomes more severe, it can lead to headaches, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. The symptoms can be much more severe for children under the age of 3, people older than 60, and people with weakened immune systems. Extreme symptoms might include death.
One national food poisoning lawyer, with significant experience representing victim of listeriosis, stated:
“soft cheeses are a very common sources for listeria monocytogenes due to the high moisture, low salt content, and low acidity. This is one reason the CDC tells pregnant women and the elderly to avoid them. In addition to being highly dangerous, listeria is hard to detect. It does not show up in routine stool cultures, and hence is rarely identified as the cause of illnesses. A cerebral spinal tap culture or a placental culture are often done in the most serous cases to identify listeria as the cause of meningitis or still-births. I recommend pregnant women avoid all soft cheeses and deli lunch meat, and that everyone with soft cheese in their refrigerators check the labels to make sure its not on the recall list.”
