U.S. Food Safety Crisis: Cheese Recall Rises to 'Highest Risk' Level
A growing cheese recall has reached the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) highest level of concern, with over 11,500 units of grated Parmesan cheese products being pulled from shelves nationwide due to the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. The Ambriola Company, a New Jersey-based importer and distributor of Italian cheeses, first announced the recall in November, but recent updates have elevated it to Class I status – the FDA's most hazardous product safety classification.
This drastic shift was made possible by the FDA's thorough testing, which revealed the bacteria's presence in the cheese products. The company also expanded the recall to include additional products processed at its West Caldwell facility in New Jersey, out of an abundance of caution.
The affected brands – Locatelli, Pinna, Boar’s Head, Member's Mark (Sam's Club's private label brand), and Ambriola – were distributed across 19 US states between November 3rd and November 20th. The FDA has issued a stern warning to customers not to consume the cheese products, urging them instead to dispose of or return them for a full refund.
At this point, no reported illnesses have been linked to the recall, but consumers who may be experiencing symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and diarrhea are advised to contact their healthcare provider. The FDA has taken the recall seriously, stating that food safety is an "urgent concern" and working closely with Ambriola Company to identify the root cause of the issue.
The CEO of Ambriola Company, Phil Marfuggi, acknowledged the severity of the situation in a statement: "We take food safety very seriously... We are working closely with the FDA and continuing to test our products and facilities to fully understand the situation."
A growing cheese recall has reached the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) highest level of concern, with over 11,500 units of grated Parmesan cheese products being pulled from shelves nationwide due to the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. The Ambriola Company, a New Jersey-based importer and distributor of Italian cheeses, first announced the recall in November, but recent updates have elevated it to Class I status – the FDA's most hazardous product safety classification.
This drastic shift was made possible by the FDA's thorough testing, which revealed the bacteria's presence in the cheese products. The company also expanded the recall to include additional products processed at its West Caldwell facility in New Jersey, out of an abundance of caution.
The affected brands – Locatelli, Pinna, Boar’s Head, Member's Mark (Sam's Club's private label brand), and Ambriola – were distributed across 19 US states between November 3rd and November 20th. The FDA has issued a stern warning to customers not to consume the cheese products, urging them instead to dispose of or return them for a full refund.
At this point, no reported illnesses have been linked to the recall, but consumers who may be experiencing symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and diarrhea are advised to contact their healthcare provider. The FDA has taken the recall seriously, stating that food safety is an "urgent concern" and working closely with Ambriola Company to identify the root cause of the issue.
The CEO of Ambriola Company, Phil Marfuggi, acknowledged the severity of the situation in a statement: "We take food safety very seriously... We are working closely with the FDA and continuing to test our products and facilities to fully understand the situation."
can u believe this?! cheese recall is getting super serious! i remember my grandma used to make the best parmesan sauce from scratch, never thought it could be contaminated like that 
class I recall is like the ultimate level of caution - they're being super careful here. and 11k+ units affected? that's a lotta cheese 
ugh, hope no one gets sick. gotta be glad the fda is taking this seriously tho 
this is a huge recall of grated Parmesan cheese products, 11k units were pulled from shelves because they had Listeria monocytogenes - that's super serious, people! I'm glad the FDA is taking it seriously too 
but you have to wonder how many people might be eating this stuff and not even know about the recall... or worse, get sick from it 
. The company expanded the recall out of caution, which is good, but also a bit scary - what if something else like that happens again? 
. I mean, who thought it was a good idea to sell Listeria-tainted cheese 
... it's just so frustrating! 
I get that the FDA is taking this seriously and all, but still 
. I remember when my grandma was sick with Listeria back in the day 
, and now kids are probably gonna be like "Oh no, I had grilled cheese for lunch" 
... anyway, gotta make sure everyone stays safe and healthy 
, so yeah, that's a big deal to me 
. Is it just me, or do you guys feel safe buying food these days?
. And yeah, 11,500 units is a big number... that's like, a lot of cheese! 
Not me, that's for sure! The FDA is on top of it too, and I appreciate them taking this whole thing seriously.
. And if you have any of those products at home, please return or dispose of them ASAP. Better safe than sorry, right? 
i mean, i've heard of food recalls before but this one is serious. Listeria monocytogenes is no joke, it can be super deadly for people with weakened immune systems 
so yeah, kudos to the FDA for taking action and classifying this recall as Class I - that's like, the biggest warning sign 
i feel bad for all the consumers who got hit by this, especially those in states where these products were widely distributed 
I hope everyone who was affected by the recall gets the proper medical attention and recovers soon.
But at least the company is taking responsibility and working closely with the FDA to get to the bottom of it.
It's not that hard to check expiration dates, store cheese properly, etc. Let's all try to be a little more mindful of our own health and well-being... and each other's! 
. I mean, it's not just about the FDA's warning signs – it's also about the company's own due diligence in testing their products and facilities to identify the root cause of the issue 
.
. And now they're expanding the recall because of "an abundance of caution"? 
i mean i know its not good 2 b safe but like cant we just be careful w/ food lol 
lets get 2 the bottom of dis 
! 11,500 units being pulled from shelves? That's crazy! And it's not just one company, but multiple brands and states involved. It's like, what went wrong here? 
. And on a more positive note, it's good to see the CEO taking responsibility and working with the FDA to get to the bottom of this. Fingers crossed they can fix the issue ASAP