Government inspectors found Listeria monocytogenes in a sample of St Laurent brand butter, spurring the company Maurice St-Laurent Limitée to recall an undisclosed amount of the butter.

“Check to see if you have recalled product in your home. Recalled product should be thrown out or returned to the store where it was purchased,” according to the recall notice posted Wednesday by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

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

The company reported distributing the recalled St Laurent brand butter to retailers in the province of Quebec.

Consumers can identify the recalled butter by looking for the following label information: St Laurent butter in 454-gram packages with the product code 156 074 and the UPC number 0 62260 00454 9.

Anyone who has eaten any of the recalled butter and developed symptoms of Listeria infection should seek medical attention and tell their doctors about the possible exposure so the proper diagnostic tests can be done.

Also, since it can take up to 70 days for symptoms of listeriosis to develop, anyone who has eaten any of the recalled butter is urged to monitor themselves for symptoms during the coming weeks.

Symptoms can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache and neck stiffness. Pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, the infection can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn or even stillbirth. In severe cases of illness, people may die.

No illnesses had been reported in connection to the recalled butter as of the posting of the recall notice. The CFIA is investigating the source of the Listeria contamination and may post additional recalls.

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