Maytag Dairy Farms is expanding its voluntary recall of “Maytag Blue” blue cheese wedges, wheels and crumbles because they have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.   This expanded recall is of 35 lots of 1-, 4- and 8-ounce wedges and 2- and 4-pound wheels; and 43 batches of 8-ounce crumbles and 5-pound crumbles. The recall still includes the five lots and 15 recalled batches which were announced Feb. 19 and are noted in the tables below. The recalled products were sold through distributors, wholesalers, retail stores, restaurants, and direct mail orders nationwide between Nov.24, 2015, and Feb.11 this year. Affected products are packaged as follows:

The lot number or batch number appears on the side or the bottom of the product. The potential for contamination was discovered after testing by Iowa officials revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in two lots of product.  Maytag Dairy Farms has voluntarily suspended production and distribution while the company collaborates with the Food and Drug Administration and Iowa to determine the cause of the problem. Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. As of today, no illnesses have been confirmed in connection with this issue. (To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)