If You Bought This Cheese, Don’t Eat It—Recall Issued Over Listeria

If you're a fan of artisanal cheeses, check your fridge. Goot Essa, LLC of Howard, Pennsylvania, is recalling 64 pounds of its Der Mutterschaf Cheese because it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The cheese product made from sheep's milk was distributed in small batches to customers in New Jersey, Virginia, Connecticut, and Montana through retail stores and restaurants. The contamination risk was discovered after routine testing by the company.

The product comes in 4- and 8-ounce clear plastic packages. The 4-ounce item has the UPC 810154560189, and the 8-ounce item has the UPC 810154560196. Both are marked with lot number 33 via a sticker on the back of the packaging. The artisanal, semi-soft cheese comes from an Amish farm located in Penns Valley, Pennsylvania.

So far, no illnesses have been reported in connection with the recall. But the FDA warns that Listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, older adults, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women.

Unlike most germs, Listeria can grow in cold environments, meaning refrigerated foods such as cheese are at risk, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

If you purchased the recalled cheese, do not eat it. Instead, return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. For questions, contact the company at 1-800-490-4387, Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST.