Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese of Austin, Kentucky, is recalling certain St. Jerome cheeses due to possible Listeria contamination.
Routine testing by the Kentucky Department of Public Health found the presence of Listeria monocytogenes on packaging from St. Jerome’s batch 231129, raising the possibility of contamination.
The recalled St. Jerome cheese was distributed to wholesale customers, retail stores and through the Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese website, kennyscheese.com.
Listeria infection
Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell bad, but it can cause a serious, sometimes life-threatening infection. Anyone who has eaten the recalled products and develops symptoms of listeriosis should seek medical treatment and tell their doctor that they may have been exposed to Listeria bacteria.
Additionally, anyone who has eaten the recalled products should be on the lookout for symptoms in the coming weeks, as it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria bacteria for symptoms of listeriosis to appear.
Symptoms of Listeria infection include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache, and stiff neck. Listeria infections can resemble other illnesses and require special laboratory tests to diagnose.
Pregnant women, the elderly, young children, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are at particular risk for severe illness, life-threatening infections, other complications, and death. Although infected pregnant women may only experience mild flu-like symptoms, infection can also lead to premature birth, infection of the newborn, and even stillbirth.
Recall affected products:
St. Jerome Cheese – Batch 231129
- The cheese is distributed in two sizes: 8-ounce wedges in clear plastic packaging and 15-pound whole cheeses in clear plastic packaging with a logo sticker on top listing the ingredients and a white label on the side with the lot number, 231129.
At the time this recall was posted, there have been no reported illnesses associated with this recalled lot.
Production of the product has been halted while the FDA and the company investigate the cause of the problem.
Consumers who have purchased the product are urged not to consume it and to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund or dispose of the product.
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