Sources: Axios; CDC.gov; FDA.gov
New Jersey is one of six states in which someone has been infected by a Listeria outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The ages of those infected ranges from 56 to 83 years old. Five of the infected people have been hospitalized. Four of the five infected people said they ate either brie or camembert cheese. They did not remember the brand’s name.
State and local officials are conducting interviews about what the infected people ate before they got sick. Most people did not remember the brand of the cheese they ate, but one person reported eating Lidl Premium Brand Brie. The only manufacturer of Lidl Premium Brand Brie is Old Europe Cheese.
The impacted products were distributed since Aug. 1 through this week to retailers such as Stop & Shop, Whole Foods and Lidl. The recall includes select products from the following brands:
| Black Bear | Fredericks | Joan of Arc | Market 32 | Reny Picot |
| Block & Barrel | Fresh Thyme | La Bonne Vie | Metropolitan | St. Randeaux |
| Charmant | Glenview Farms | Lidl Preferred Selection | Prestige | Taste of Inspiration |
| Cobblestone | Good & Gather | Life in Provence | Primo Taglio | St. Rocco |
| Culinary Tour | Heinen’s | Matrie’d | Red Apple Cheese | Trader Joe’s |
Products with a best-by date of Dec. 14, 2022, are subject to the recall. These products were available in at least a dozen retailers, including Albertsons, Whole Foods and Safeway.
Listeria is most likely to sicken pregnant persons and their newborns, adults aged 65 or older, and those with weakened immune systems. Others can be infected with Listeria, but they rarely become seriously ill.
People who are not pregnant may experience headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, in addition to fever and muscle aches. Pregnant persons typically experience only fever, fatigue, and muscle aches. However, Listeria infection during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.
In addition to New Jersey, the outbreak has been detected in Massachusetts, California, Texas, Michigan, and Georgia.
Old Europe Cheese has set up a telephone line to answer any questions about this recall: 269-925-5003 ext. 335, open Monday through Friday from 9:00am-12:30pm and 2:00pm-4:00pm ET.