Apple Tree Goat Dairy of Pennsylvania is recalling four flavors of goat cheese for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. No illnesses have been reported to date, but the illness caused by this bacteria can take up to 70 days to manifest.
The recalled products may have been distributed in Washington D.C., New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia through the Lancaster co-op. Sampling by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture revealed Listeria contamination.
The recalled products are Feta cheese aged 60 days, lot #836 in a shrink wrapped square 8 ounce package or 5 pound block with expiration date 12/16. Also recalled is Gouda Cheese aged 60 days, lot #426 in a shrink wrapped square 8 ounce package or a 5 pound block. The Feta and Gouda cheeses were made with raw goat milk, according to the package label.
Pasteurized chevre is recalled, with lot #816 in 8 ounce or 5 pound shrink wrapped bags. Finally, French Herb Chevre lot #736 in 8 ounce or 5 pound shrink wrapped bags is recalled, in an 8 ounce or 5 pound shrink wrapped bag.
Both of the Chevre cheeses may also have been sold in 5 pound plastic tubs. There are discrepancies in the recall notice about the product sizes; please check with your retailer to see if you purchased these recalled cheeses. According to the labels provided, only the French Herb Chevre and the Feta were sold in 5 pound blocks.
If you did buy any of these products, do not eat them. Throw them away in a sealed container or take it back to the place of purchase for a full refund. Then wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, and clean out your refrigerator with a mild bleach solution of one tablespoon liquid chlorine bleach to one gallon of hot water. Listeria monocytogenes bacteria can grow at refrigerator temperatures.
If you ate any of these cheeses, monitor yourself for the symptoms of listeriosis for the next 70 days. Those symptoms include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Pregnant women may only be mildly ill with flu-like symptoms, but listeriosis can cause miscarriage and stillbirth. If you do get sick, see your doctor and tell her you ate one of these recalled products.
