Two Whole Foods stores recall contaminated Pecorino cheese

RELATED RECALL: Forever Cheese Inc. recalls Mitica brand Pecorino Aged Cheese in Walnut Leaves  “Pecorino Aged Cheese in Walnut Leaves” sold by the Austin-based Whole Foods Market grocery chain and distributed in only in two of its 346 stores is being recalled for possible Listeria contamination.  The two Whole Foods stores that carried the recalled product are in West Palm Beach, FL, and the Bowery neighborhood of New York City.  Codes and sell-by dates for the recalled cheese are unique to the individual store where it was sold.

The cheese sold at the Florida store has a code number of 290107 with a sell-by dates from Feb. 29 to March 8.  The sold in New York has a code number of 294239 with sell by dates of March 3 to March 8.  Listeria contamination can be deadly and the most serious threat is for the elderly, children, people with compromised immune systems and pregnant women.  The pathogen has an extended incubation period and can cause stillbirths.  Whole Foods has not said how the recalled cheese was made.  (To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)