Whole Foods Recalls Cheese Over Listeria Contamination

9 Oct

Whole Foods is recalling Papillon Organic Roquefort cheese, a product that was sold in stores nationwide, because it could be contaminated with the dangerous bacterium Listeria monocytogenes.

While no one has reported an illness related to the cheese, routine inspections conducted by the Food and Drug Administration uncovered Listeria in whole, uncut wheels. Whole Foods sells the Roquefort by slicing it into wedges and individually packaging them in clear plastic. The cheeses are then labeled with Whole Foods scale stickers that begin with “PLU 029536.”

If you find this cheese in your home, throw it away. For a full refund, bring the receipt in to your nearest Whole Foods store.

Infection with the bacterium can cause listeriosis, which is a potentially fatal condition for pregnant women, the elderly, small children and people with suppressed immune systems like cancer patients or people with HIV. The incubation period for the disease runs anywhere from three to 70 days, and symptoms include fever, stiff neck, vomiting and diarrhea. The illness can last for weeks and may land people, especially those most vulnerable to it, in the hospital.

Listeria can grow even in cold temperatures, which means that if you find the cheese in your fridge, be sure to wash the shelves with hot, soapy water and then rinse them clean.

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