Cheese urgently recalled over listeria contamination fears

An Ohio food company has issued an urgent recall on several products due to fears of listeria contamination, affecting several states.

Seven types of cheese made by the Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op have been affected by the recall.

The FDA has reported that the products were made on on May 30 and August 13.

Between July 7 and August 14 the cheeses were sent out to 'distributors, dining halls and retail stores' in Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Texas.

The recall comes after the company found the presence of listeria bacteria on 'finished product and on surfaces of cutting equipment.'

As of September 5 there have not been any reports of illness from the products, the FDA confirmed.

The cheese had been contaminated with listeria bacteria (stock image) (skaman306/Getty Images)

Listeria bacteria cause listeriosis, which has symptoms ranging from relatively mild flu-like effects up to life-threatening conditions such as sepsis or meningitis in some patients.

People who are already immunocompromised, such as those who are elderly, very young, or who have a condition which affects their immune system, are at particular risk of the infection.

It can also have a serious impact if someone is pregnant, potentially leading to miscarriage or stillbirth.

Other symptoms of listeriosis include high temperature, aches and pains, chills, feeling or being sick, and diarrhoea.

According to the FDA, listeria is 'an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.'

If someone has one of the products affected by the recall, the FDA said they should 'dispose of it or return it to the retail location during normal business hours for a refund'.

Full list of products being recalled

These are all the products being recalled (FDA)

• Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op Organic Gouda: 8 oz. packages, sell by date of Feb. 13, 2026
• Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op Mozzarella/Provolone Cheese: 5 lb. bags shredded cheese, sell by date of Sept. 3
• Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op Colored Y(ellow) Cheddar Cheese, 5 lb. loaves labeled as Smoked Cheddar and All Natural Mild Cheddar, sell by date of Feb. 13, 2026; and 5 lb. bags labeled as Shredded Cheddar Cheese, sell by date of Sept. 3
• Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op Swiss Cheese: 5 lb. loaves, sell by date of Feb. 13, 2026
• Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op Pepper Jack Cheese: 5 lb. loaves labeled as All Natural Pepper Jack, sell by date of Feb. 13, 2026; and 5 lb. bags shredded cheese, sell by date of Sept. 3
• Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op Monterey Jack Cheese: 5 lb. loaves, sell by date of Feb. 13, 2026; and 5 lb. bags shredded cheese, sell by date of Sept. 3
• Sunrise Creamery Dilly Pickle Monterey Jack with Pickles Cheese: 6 oz. package labeled as Dilly Pickle with lot code 253054 and sell by dates of Jan. 7, 2026, Jan. 11, 2026 and Feb. 16, 2026; and 1.25 lb. package labeled as Dilly Pickle Jack with lot code 253054 and sell by date of Dec. 30

Words by Kit Roberts