The FDA has cautioned that consuming food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can lead to listeriosis, a severe infection mainly affecting seniors, individuals with compromised immune systems, and pregnant women along with their newborns. Symptoms can range from high fever, intense headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. In severe cases, the infection can spread to the nervous system, causing confusion, imbalance, and seizures.

The cheese products were distributed to manufacturers, distributors, and retail stores in Ohio. The recall includes 246.5 lbs of ‘100% Grass-fed Pepper Jack Cheese,’ 2.5 lbs of ‘Horseradish Flavored Cheese,’ 640 lbs of ‘Monterey Jack Cheese,’ and 4,544.5 lbs of ‘White Cheddar Cheese.’ These were available in either 8 oz packages or 5 lb and 40 lb rectangular loaves.

Currently, no illnesses or fatalities have been associated with the recall, but officials are advising anyone who believes they fell ill due to the cheese to report it. The public is encouraged to discard the contaminated products or return them for a refund. The recall announcement mentioned that testing by Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op revealed the presence of bacteria in its cheeses.

The cheesemaker is a family-owned operation situated about 30 miles east of Cleveland, starting in 1956. The co-op comprises 90 members managing dairy farms, with 98% being Amish. The impacted products were made on June 16, 2025, June 24, 2025, and July 16, 2025, and distributed in Ohio from July 14, 2025, through August 7, 2025.

The cheese was manufactured at the Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op facility, which provides a diverse range of cheese products sold in their on-site store, nationwide retailers, and in Canada. Listeria can infect various foods like raw vegetables, unpasteurized dairy, and deli meats, causing about 47 recalls annually. In the United States, roughly 1,600 individuals contract Listeria infections each year, resulting in approximately 260 deaths.

In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages , stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Listeria contamination was also behind a recent major nationwide recall involving four other cheese products sold by Wegmans Food Markets.

Affected products, supplied by Georgia-based Estancia Holdings, were pulled from stores after the company was notified by their French supplier that three shipments they received may be contaminated with listeria. Then last year, the bacteria was behind a recall of 10million pounds of beef and poultry used in ready-to-eat meals.

It was also behind a major recall of Boar’s Head products, with the outbreak leading to 10 deaths and 61 people sickened by tainted deli meat. Consumers with questions on the latest recall may contact the Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op customer service.