Recall alert: Cheese products voluntarily recalled in 9 states over listeria concerns

A Missouri-based cheese packaging company issued a voluntary recall of 2,800 pounds of its product over concerns of listeria contamination, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday.

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According to a news release, the USDA said the recall, which affects nine states, was issued by Paris Brothers, Inc., of Kansas City, on May 29.

The FDA said the cheese products have the “potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.”

According to the FDA, the recalled products include Cottonwood River Cheddar, D’amir Brie Double Crème French Brie, Milton Prairie Breeze White Cheddar Style, Milton Tomato Garlic Cheddar, Paris Brothers Mild Cheddar, Paris Brothers Colby Jack, Paris Brothers Pepper Jack, and Cervasi Pecorino Romano.

The products were produced this year between May 4 and May 6.

The products were delivered to wholesalers for distribution in grocery stores in Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and South Dakota, the FDA stated. They were delivered to one store in Pensacola, Florida, and to multiple sites in the other states.

Affected stores include Price Chopper, Super Saver, Hy-Vee, Hen House and Harps, among others.

The products contained the lot codes of 05042022, 05052022, or 05062022, according to the FDA.

The recall was issued after listeria bacteria was found on a cutting board at the Paris Brothers, Inc. plant on May 3, Doug Schnell, Paris Brothers’ director of manufacturing and operations, told NBC News.

“We had a routine FDA audit -- several entities audit us through the year -- and we had a positive hit in our cheese room on one of our cutting boards,” Schnell told the news outlet.

The cutting board was destroyed and the room was sanitized, Schnell told NBC News.

“Anything connected with that particular board did not leave our building,” Schnell told the network.

No illnesses have been reported by consumers, the FDA said in its recall notice.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, listeria can be a life-threatening infection brought on by food contamination. Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. It can also cause pregnant women to have miscarriages and stillbirths, and newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems also can be affected, the agency said.

The CDC added that approximately 1,600 people get listeriosis infections annually in the U.S., and about 260 die.

Consumers with questions can telephone the company and ask for Schnell at 816-455-4188, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT.

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