If you love cooking an Italian-inspired meal, like spaghetti and meatballs or a shrimp scampi, then you’ll want to pay attention to this hazardous recall of a must-have ingredient for that kind of cooking.
Numerous cases and brands of pecorino romano cheese are being recalled across the nation due to a “serious” listeria outbreak. What started off as a typical recall recently escalated to a Class I recall, which, in FDA standards, is the most serious level. This recall, which is affecting 20 states, is raising concerns for serious illness and side effects, so read more about it and what to look out for below.
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Pecorino Romano Cheese Recalled In 20 States Due To Listeria Risk
When it comes to cooking, especially Italian dishes, pecorino romano cheese can be a big part of it. It's enjoyed in dishes like carbonara pasta, cacio e pepe, and topped on other meals, pizzas, etc. Lots of people scoop it up pre-grated at the grocery store, but now, you'll want to be extra careful when buying it.
Last month, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), in addition to Ambriola Co., Inc., a popular cheese business that imports from Italy, released a voluntary recall of numerous pecorino romano cheese products sold in cup-size containers, bags, etc, after routine testing confirmed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes."
The recall was recently upgraded to a Class I recall, which the FDA defines as "a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death."
What To Look Out For
If you're not as familiar with Listeria monocytogenes, often simply referred to as listeria, it is a bacterium that can contaminate all sorts of foods and can cause a very serious and sometimes fatal infection called listeriosis.
"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," writes the FDA.
Due to the severity of a listeria infection, the cheese products are being recalled in the following 20 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. They've been sold under several brand names, including Ambriola, Locatelli, Member's Mark, Pinna, and Boar's Head.
The cheese products have been getting pulled from grocery store shelves, but shoppers are encouraged to check their fridges to see if they've purchased any of the cheeses listed in this FDA data. Additionally, anyone who might have purchased these products and experienced the symptoms listed above should speak to a healthcare provider immediately.
