Butter Recalled For Potential Listeria

Golden Glen Creamery of Bow, Washington is recalling butter produced on November 2, 2011 over concerns that the butter has been contaminated with the dangerous Listeria monocytogenes pathogen, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced. To date, no illnesses have been reported.

The Golden Glen Creamery Butter is packaged in 
21 four-ounce packages of Herbes de Provence Butter available at the Whole Foods Market in Redmond, Washington. Also, 68 four-ounce packages of Northwest Mushroom Trio Butter were available at the Whole Foods Market in Redmond, Washington and at various Metropolitan Market locations in Washington.

The recalled butter was distributed between November 7, 2011 and November 28, 2011 and continues to be in circulation. The butter is sold in four-ounce plastic round containers with tamper-evident seals. The labels read, in part: “Herbes de Provence Butter” or “Northwest Mushroom Trio Butter,” along with the words “GOLDEN GLEN CREAMERY” and “Natural handcrafted cheese produced by the Jensen ladies.” The top label contains the three-digit code “767.”

The butter is being recalled following release of the results of a surveillance sample collected and analyzed by the Washington State Department of Agriculture found to be positive for Listeria monocytogenes. The Golden Glen Creamery has ceased production and distribution of the product as the FDA, the Washington State Department of Agriculture, and it continue their investigation into the cause of the outbreak.

Consumers who purchased the recalled butter are urged to destroy or return the recalled butter to the place of purchase for a full refund. Golden Glen Creamery can be reached at 1.360.766.6455 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Pacific Standard Time (PST), from Monday through Friday, or by email at info@goldenglencreamery.com.

The Listeria monocytogenes pathogen can lead to the listeriosis infection, which is potentially fatal and can cause high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, abdominal cramps and pain, diarrhea, and nausea, especially in those with weakened immune systems, infants, and the elderly. Vulnerable populations, such as the developing fetus, can suffer serious central nervous system problems. The infection can prompt premature births, or the death of the fetus via miscarriages and stillbirths.

Pregnant women are 20 times likelier to become infected. Listeriosis can also lead to hearing loss or brain damage in newborns, and can lead to neurological effects and cardio respiratory failure in adults.