Supplier’s Listeria Problems Affect Cheeses by Sargento, Sara Lee, Meijer
The third party supplier at the helm of the massive recall--Deutsch Kase Haus of Middlebury, IN--is no stranger to Listeria contamination. In the fall of 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reportedly conducted environmental testing in which three out of 25 swabs tested positive for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes.
Just over 7 years later, a number of recalls have been announced after cheesemakers learned that the Deutsch’s Longhorn Colby cheese they received may have been contaminated with Listeria.
Sargento
Sargento is one of most well-known cheese makers in the U.S. In all, the company has recalled seven different cheese varieties all packaged at Sargento’s Plymouth, WI processing plant. Sargento’s cheese products affected include a variety of the brands sliced and shredded Colby, Colby Jack, Pepper Jack, nacho and taco selections.
Sara Lee
More than 730 cases of Sara Lee’s cheeses--which had already been shipped to Alabama, California, Louisiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Texas--have been recalled. Two of Sara Lee’s sliced varieties--Colby Jack and Monterey Jack with jalapeno peppers--were also recalled.
Meijer
The regional supermarket chain’s white labeled Colby and Colby Jack cheeses--sold exclusively via the stores’ deli counters--have also been impacted by ingredients from Deutsch Kase Haus. Meijer says their affected products were sold between November 10, 2016 and February 9, 2017.
MDS Foods
The Massillon, OH-based cheese manufacturer had to recall its Colby and Colby Jack minihorn cheeses due to Deutsch’s Listeria contamination. MDS’s products were sold under the Amish Classics, Deli Readi, Deli Made EZ, Lipari Old Tyme, Duck Deli and Meijer brands.
To date, there have been no confirmed illnesses linked to any of the cheese recalls.
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