Officials announced Friday that a Midwestern cheese packaging firm has recalled 2,800 pounds of its product because of concerns about listeria contamination.
According to a joint statement by the company and Food and Drug Administration, the affected food was from Brothers Inc. in Kansas City, Missouri. This plant converts large blocks of cheese into smaller portions for consumers.
Multiple brands are available for the cheese: D’amir Brie Double Créme French Brie, Cottonwood River Cheddar and D’amir Brie Cottonwood River Cheddar.
According to the recall statement, these cheeses could have been on shelves in Arkansas and Florida, Iowa, Kansas. Mississippi, Missouri. Nebraska. Oklahoma, and South Dakota. Among others, Harps, Super Saver, and Price Chopper are among the affected stores.
Doug Schnell, director of manufacturing operations at Brothers Inc., said that the voluntary recall was initiated after listeria bacteria was found on a cutting board at the Brothers Inc. facility on May 3.
Schnell stated, “We had a routine FDA inspection — many entities audited us throughout the year — and we had positive hits in our cheeseroom on one of our cutting board.”
According to the company, the cutting board and cheese were destroyed. The room was cleaned up.
Schnell stated, “Anything related to that particular board did NOT leave our building.”
The company reopened operations the following day but later decided to reverse course and recall all products shipped within three days of the discovery.
“We met with the FDA and, even though there is no reason to suspect that the remainder of that week was suspect,” Schnell said. We agreed to recall the product. Schnell stated that it is an extreme precautionary measure.
Listeria bacteria can be found in a variety of foods. It is most common to infect ready-to-eat foods such as deli meats, unpasteurized milk, and chopped raw fruits and vegetables.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1,600 Americans get listeria each year in the United States. About 260 people die.
According to the FDA, most people who eat food contaminated by listeria will only experience minor symptoms like a headache, stiffness or nausea. The illness can be deadly for children and older adults, as well as those with compromised immune systems.