Cheese Recall Lawsuit

Hundreds of cheese products have been recalled after outbreaks of Listeria and other types of food poisoning bacteria.

What You Can Do & How We Can Help

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting food poisoning induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was infected with Listeria after eating recalled cheese, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Food Poisoning Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

What is the Risk?

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that can grow in cold temperatures, such as refrigerators or deli counters. Infections can be deadly. The bacteria spreads out of the intestines in 5-10% of cases, which often leads to meningitis (brain inflammation) or sepsis. Infections in pregnant women can also cause miscarriage or stillbirth.

Symptoms of Listeriosis

• High fever
• Severe headache
• Stiffness
• Neck pain
• Nausea
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea

Cotija Cheese Recalled in 5 States for E. coli Risk

In January 2020, Quesos La Ricura LTD. of New York recalled cotija cheese after a sample tested positive for Shiga-toxin producing E. coli. No illnesses were reported. The cheese was distributed in New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Florida.

Salvadorean Cheese Recalled for Listeria Risk

In January 2020, Limeño LLC recalled Salvadorean String Cheese (also called “Quesillo Salvadoreño Para Pupusa”) after health officials in Florida reported that a 1-pound block of cheese tested positive for Listeria. The semi-soft cheese is used to make pupusas, which are a popular cheese-stuffed flatbread dish from El Salvador and Honduras.

Vulto Creamery Cheese Recalls

In March 2017, Vulto Creamery recalled all types of raw milk cheese. Six people were hospitalized with Listeria food poisoning, including one newborn baby and 2 people who died. Whole Foods also recalled Vulto cheese.

• Vulto Creamery Cheese Recall – EXPANDED
• Whole Foods Vulto Cheese Recall – EXPANDED

Deutsch Kase Haus Cheese Recalls

On February 9, officials in Tennessee reported a positive test for Listeria monocytogenes in a routine random sample of Amish Classic Colby deli cheese from a grocery store in Trenton, TN on January 30.

Listeria was found in cheese made by Deutsch Käse Haus, LLC in November 2016. This company is a major 3rd-party cheese supplier, so when they issued a recall, it triggered recalls from a large number of their customers.

• Sargento Cheese Recall
• Sargento Cheese – Expanded Recall
• Meijer Cheese Recall
• Meijer Cheese Recall – EXPANDED
• Sara Lee Cheese Recall
• H-E-B / Safeway Cheese Recall
• MDS Cheese Recall
• MDS Cheese – Expanded Recall
• Country Fresh Cheese Recall
• Guggisberg Cheese Recall
• Gift Box Cheese Recall
• Biery Cheese Recall
• Saputo Cheese Recall
• Ready Pac Chicken Salad
• Premo Meat and Poultry Wraps
• Bashas’ and Food City Cheese Recall
• Lipari Cheese Recall
• Yoke’s Fresh Market Cheese Recall
• GFS Monterey Jack Cheese Recall

Sargento Cheese Recall

On February 10, a recall was issued for the following Sargento cheese products due to a risk of Listeria contamination:

• Sargento Ultra Thin Sliced Longhorn Colby, 6.84 oz., UPC 4610000228, with “Sell By” dates of “12APR17B” and “10MAY17B”
• Sargento Chef Blends Shredded Nacho & Taco Cheese, 8 oz., UPC 4610040041, with “Sell By” dates of “H14JUN17” and “H12JUL17.”
• Sargento Sliced Colby-Jack Cheese, 12 oz., UPC 4610000109 with “Sell By” date of “11JUN17B”
• Sargento Sliced Pepper Jack Cheese, 12 oz., UPC 4610000108 with “Sell By” dates of “12JUN17B”, “09JUL17B” and “10JUL17B”
• Sargento Chef Blends Shredded Taco Cheese, 8 oz., UPC 4610040002 with “Sell By” dates of “H14JUN17”, “F28JUN17” and “D28JUN17”
• Sargento Off The Block Shredded Fine Cut Colby-Jack Cheese, 8 oz., UPC 4610040014 with “Sell By” date of “F05JUL17”
• Sargento Off The Block Shredded Fine Cut Cheddar Jack Cheese, 8 oz., UPC 4610040076 with “Sell By” date of “F05JUL17”

Sargento Cheese – Expanded Recall

On February 17, Sargento expanded the recall to include more cheese that came from a 3rd-party supplier. Sargento also announced it has cut ties with the supplier, Deutsch Kase Haus, LLC. The full list of recalled cheese is below.

Key: [DATE] = Added February 17, 2017

Meijer Cheese Recall

On February 10, Meijer grocery stores recalled deli-counter Colby and Colby-Jack cheese sold from November 10, 2016 to February 9, 2017. The products were sold under the Meijer store-brand and they were only sold at the deli counter.

Meijer Cheese Recall – EXPANDED

On March 3, Meijer expanded their cheese recall to include store-brand Muenster and pre-made ham sandwiches that were sold last year due to a potential risk of cross contamination with Listeria. The recalled products include:

• Meijer Artisan Made Natural Muenster Cheese located on “cheese islands” in the deli section and has expiration-dates of March 28, May 13, and June 10, 2017.
• Meijer Ham Sub on Artisan White Baguette sold in the “grab-and-go” fresh deli cases, with “Sell-By” dates between November 2, 2016 and December 30, 2016.

Sara Lee Cheese Recall

On February 11, Sara Lee recalled pre-sliced deli-style Monterey Jack and Colby Jack cheese in Alabama, California, Louisiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Texas:

• Sara Lee® Deli Sliced Monterey Jack Cheese with Jalapeno Peppers, Item number 40205, Product Lot #A319349610, USE BY JUN-12-17
• Sara Lee® Sliced Colby Jack Cheese, Item Number 40208, Product Lot #A319348610, USE BY JUN-11-17

Taylor Farms, H-E-B, Signature Cafe (Safeway) Cheese Recall

On February 11, Taylor Farms recalled over 3 tons (6,330 pounds) of pre-packaged chicken salads sold at H-E-B and Safeway because they were made with Sargento’s recalled cheese:

• Signature Cafe Southwest Chicken Premade Salad, 10.5 oz. plastic trays with the following “USE BY” dates: “2/13/17, 2/14/17 or 2/15/17.”
• Signature Café Southwest Style Salad with Chicken, 10.5 oz. plastic trays with the following “USE BY” dates: “2/14/17, 2/15/17 or 2/16/17.”
• H-E-B Shake Rattle & Bowl Rowdy Ranch Hand (contains pork), 8.25 oz. plastic trays with the following “USE BY” dates: “2/17/17, 2/18/17 or 2/19/17.”

MDS Foods Cheese Recall

On February 11, a recall was issued by MDS Foods Inc., a major 3rd-party supplier of cheese for delis and grocery stores, after certain products tested positive for Listeria. Other products were recalled due to possible contamination.

The recalled cheese brands include Amish Classics, Meijer, Deli Readi, Deli Made EZ, Lipari Old Tyme, Duck Deli, and OldTyme.

Cheese Recalled for Contamination with Listeria:

Cheese Recalled Due to Possible Listeria Contamination:

MDS Cheese – Expanded Recall

On February 17, MDS Foods Inc. expanded their cheese recall to include the following products that were supplied by Deutsch Kase Haus, LLC.

Cheese Recalled Due to Possible Cross-Contamination

Country Fresh Cheese Recall

On February 13, Country Fresh, LLC recalled 2,552 cases of cheese-stuffed mushrooms and fruit-and-cheese trays due to possible Listeria contamination.

The products were sold in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. The recalled products include:

• Country Fresh Tuscan Style Mushroom, Foam Overwrap Tray, UPC 74641-07211, Best-By: 2/14/17 — 2/17/17
• Country Fresh Stuffed Mushrooms, Foam Overwrap Tray, UPC 74641-07207, Best-By: 2/14/17 — 2/17/17
• Southwest Stuffed Mushrooms, Foam Overwrap Tray, UPC 72036-88471, Best-By: Best-By: 2/14/17 — 2/17/17
• Marketside Garlic Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms, Clamshell, UPC 681131-14821, Best-By: 2/15/17 — 2/17/17
• Ready Fresh Go Fruit and Hatch Pepper Cheese, Clamshells, UPC 41220-03680, Best By: 1/19/17 — 2/16/17

Guggisberg Cheese Recall

On February 14, a recall was issued by Guggisberg Cheese Inc. for cheese sold at deli counters. The products were manufactured from September 1, 2016 to January 27, 2017 and they have “Best-By” dates ranging from June 01, 2017 to October 27, 2017. The products were sold at delis in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Illinois, and West Virginia.

• Guggisberg Cheddar Horns
• Guggisberg Colby Horns
• Guggisberg Farmer’s Cheese horns
• Guggisberg Garden Vegetable Horns
• Guggisberg Marble Horns
• Guggisberg Marble Longhorn
• Guggisberg Pepper Jack Horns
• Guggisberg Thunder Jack Horns
• Guggisberg exact Marble Mini Rounds
• Guggisberg exact Colby Mini Rounds
• Guggisberg exact Pepper Jack Mini Rounds
• Guggisberg Cheese with Yogurt cultures deli horns

Holiday Gift Box Cheese Recall – Dutch Valley Food Distributors

On February 17, Dutch Valley Food Distributors (Schlabach) issued a recall for a variety of cheese products, including many sold in gift boxes under the Guggisberg brand.

They were sold in the following states: AR, FL, GA, IA, IN, KS, KY, MD, MN, MO, NC, NE, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, VT, WI & WV.

The recalled gift boxes include:

• Cheese Lover’s Box
• Holiday Delight Box
• Ultimate Amish Sampler Box
• Custom Gift Box
• Holiday Crowd Pleaser Basket
• Country Christmas Basket
• Taste of Goodness Basket

The recalls also include a variety of Guggisberg cheese horns that were sold in 6-lb, 15-lb, and other sizes with “Use By” dates between June 01, 2017 and October 27, 2017:

• Guggisberg Colby Cheese mini horn
• Guggisberg Colby Jack (Marble) Cheese mini horn
• Guggisberg Thunderjack Cheese mini horn
• Guggisberg Pepperjack Mini Horn
• Guggisberg Farmers Cheese Mini Horn
• Guggisberg Colby Cheese Longhorns
• Guggisberg Colby Jack (Marble) Cheese Longhorns
• Guggisberg Colby Cheese
• Guggisberg Colby Jack (Marble) Cheese
• Guggisberg Thunderjack Cheese
• Guggisberg Pepperjack Cheese
• Guggisberg Farmers Cheese
• Guggisberg Colby Cheese
• Guggisberg Colby Cheese
• Guggisberg Colby Jack (Marble) Cheese

Biery Cheese Recall

On February 16, Biery Cheese recalled specialty Longhorn Colby cheese that were distributed between November 11, 2016 and January 4, 2017 in Georgia, Indiana, and Pennsylvania.