Savencia Cheese USA Recalls Select Soft Ripened Cheeses due to possible Listeria contamination

Savencia Cheese USA, a New Holland, Pennsylvania establishment, is recalling select soft ripened cheeses manufactured in their Lena manufacturing facility due to the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes, according to a Department of Defense All Food and Drug Activity message sent Nov. 4.

Listeria monocytogenes may cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, the frail or elderly, and those with weakened immune systems. Healthy adults may only suffer short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Listeria infections may also cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. The illness caused by these bacteria can take up to 70 days to appear. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food.

The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) has publicized this recall to all its stores, according to Richard Stith, supervisory consumer safety officer for DeCA Headquarters and Support Center at Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia. Whenever a commissary has recalled or withdrawn products in its inventory, they are immediately removed from store shelves.

Through routine testing, it was identified that processing equipment at the site may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. While finished product testing has not identified contaminated product, Savencia Cheese USA has initiated a voluntary recall to retrieve the potentially affected product.

The following is a list of products that are affected by this recall.

• Emporium Selection Brie, 12/8 ounces: UPC 004149811132, UPC 041498111328, best if used by date of Dec. 24
• Supreme Oval, 7 ounces and 6/7 ounces: UPC 007144850421 and UPC 071448504214, best if used by date of Dec. 24
• La Bonne Vie Brie, 6/8 ounces: best if used by date of Dec. 24
• La Bonne Vie Camembert, 6/8 ounces: best if used by date of Dec. 24
• Industrial Brie, 12/8 ounces: UPC 077901005229, best if used by date of Dec. 24
• Market Basket Brie, 6/8 ounces: UPC 004970566630 and UPC 049705666302, best if used by date of Dec. 24

These products had limited regional distribution in the United States.

At this time, there have been no confirmed reports of adverse health events due to consumption of these products.

Consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Consumer Relations at 800-322-2743 or email at [email protected].