Golden Glen Creamery of Bow, Washington is recalling its <"https://www.yourlawyer.com/practice_areas/food_poisoning">Raw Cheddar over potential contamination with the Listeria monocytogenes pathogen, a dangerous, sometimes deadly, bacteria, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just announced.
To date, no illnesses have been reported; however, it is important to bear in mind that the Listeria pathogen has an unusually long incubation period that can be as long as up to two months, according to experts. Also making this pathogen different than other foodborne pathogens is that Listeria thrives in cold temperatures.
Approximately 20 pounds of the Raw Cheddar was distributed through a few, select retail stores in Washington State, as well as at Golden Glen’s on-farm store between September 22 and November 5 of this year. The packages range in size from ¼- to ½-pound pieces, and are of random-weight cuts.
The recalled Raw Cheddar is vacuum packaged in clear plastic with a stick-on label that reads, in part, “Raw Cheddar,†“GOLDEN GLEN CREAMERY,†and “Natural handcrafted cheese produced by the Jensen ladies.†The back of the product bears a white sticker with the three-digit code “864.â€
The Raw Cheddar recall is the result of a surveillance sample collected and analyzed by the Washington State Department of Agriculture that was found to be positive for Listeria monocytogenes. Golden Glen Creamery has ceased production and distribution of the product as the FDA, the Washington State Department of Agriculture, and Golden Glen Creamery investigate the cause of the contamination.
Consumers who purchased the Raw Cheddar are urged to destroy the Raw Cheddar or return the product 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), Monday through Friday, or by email at [email protected].
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 prompt neurological effects and cardio respiratory failure in adults.
