The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Portuguese Cheese Co. Ltd. is recalling St. Jorge and Queijo São Jorge raw milk cheese from commerce because they may contain the toxin produced by Staphylococcus bacteria. Foods contaminated with this toxin will not look, smell, or taste spoiled. And the toxin is not destroyed by normal consumer cooking temperatures. No illnesses have been reported to date.
The recalled products are St. Jorge raw milk cheese sold in variable size packages. The code on the product is Lot #914 and the UPC number is variable. Also recalled is Queijo São Jorge raw milk cheese in about 9 to 10 kg packages. There is no UPC number on that cheese. The code on that product, which appears only on the case, is AEE0215. The products were sold in Ontario at the retail level. You can see pictures of recalled products at the CFIA web site.
The Queijo São Jorge cheese may have been sold in smaller packages, cut and wrapped by retailers. If you aren’t sure whether or not you have these products, contact the store where you bought them. They should be able to tell you if you purchased the recalled cheeses.
The symptoms of Staphylococcus toxin include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and fever. Some people may experience headache, muscle cramps, and changes in blood pressure and pulse rate.
If you purchased either of these products, do not eat them. Discard in a double bagged or otherwise sealed container so other people and animals can’t eat them, or return to the place of purchase for a refund.
