The Canadian Food Inspection Agency posted a recall yesterday of firm ripened Comté cheese at the request of Agropur Cooperative. The company cited possible Listeria contamination as the reason for the recall.

Agropur Cooperative distributed their Agropur Import Collection brand cheese to unidentified stores located across the nation. No other details about how the possible contamination was discovered were included in the recall notice.

“The recall was triggered by Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) test results,” according to the recall notice posted on the CFIA website. The agency is conducting an investigation and will post additional recalls as necessary.

“Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick,” the recall notice said.

Although no injuries or illnesses had been reported as of Oct. 18 recall, consumers are urged to discard the recalled cheese immediately. All of the recalled cheese has a “Best Before” date of “17 DE 15.”

Consumers can identify the recalled cheese by looking for the following label information:

  • Agropur Import Collection
  • Firm Ripened Comté Cheese
  • 200 g
  • Best Before 17 DE 15
  • UPC number 0 67400 00397 0

The recalled product has the “Agropur Import Collection” stamp printed on the front of the packaging.

Listeria infection can take up to 70 days for symptoms to develop. Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Young children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems can develop serious and sometimes deadly infections from exposure to Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.

Anyone who has eaten mechanically Firm Ripened Comté Cheese and developed Listeria symptoms should seek medical attention and tell their doctors about the possible exposure to pathogen.

For more information, consumers can contact CFIA by filling out an online feedback form.

(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)