WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal health officials
say ricotta cheese tainted with listeria bacteria is linked to 14
illnesses including at least one death.
The imported Italian ricotta salata cheese
distributed by Forever Cheese Inc. of New York is linked to illnesses in
11 states and the District of Columbia, according to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. Forever Cheese issued a recall of one
lot - 800 wheels of ricotta salata, or roughly 4,800 pounds - on Monday.
The cheese was distributed to retail stores
and restaurants in California, Colorado, the District of Columbia,
Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine,
Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania,
Virginia and Washington between June 20 and Aug. 9.
Jeff DiMeo of Forever Cheese said the
recalled Frescolina brand ricotta salata cheese is from one batch
manufactured in Italy's Puglia region but would not name the Italian
company that manufactured it. The Food and Drug Administration confirmed
listeria was present in an uncut sample of cheese from that batch.
Most people who consumed the cheese would not
know where it came from because it was distributed in large wheels for
retailers or restaurants to break down into smaller servings or
packages. However, Whole Foods Market said Wednesday it was recalling
ricotta salata sold in some of its stores in 21 states and the District
of Columbia that came from Forever Cheese. Whole Foods said the cheese
was sold using PLU 293427; all sell by dates through Oct. 2 are
affected, the company said.
Ricotta salata is a salty, white cheese made
from pasteurized sheep's milk. It is not the same as soft ricotta cheese
sold in tubs and used to make lasagna.
DiMeo said he would generally advise his
customers not to hold on to the cheese for more than 30 days. The CDC,
however, said the ricotta can have up to a four-month shelf life, so
some consumers may still have it in their homes.
The company and the government advised
consumers who may still have the cheese to ask retailers where it came
from or just throw it out to be safe.
Listeria is rare but deadlier than well-known
pathogens such as salmonella and E. coli. It is most dangerous to
pregnant women, the elderly and others with compromised immune systems.
It was not immediately clear how many deaths
were caused by the listeria outbreak. The CDC said listeriosis
contributed to "at least one" of two deaths in New York and Nebraska but
did not elaborate. A spokeswoman for the New York City Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene said Wednesday the department was
investigating a death linked to the listeria and a spokeswoman for the
Nebraska Department of Health said the same strain had contributed to
the death of a woman in her 80s.
A third deceased person in Minnesota was
infected with listeriosis linked to the cheese but that was not thought
to be the primary cause of the person's death, a spokesman for the
Minnesota Department of Health said.
Three people from Maryland reported becoming
ill from the strain of listeria linked to the ricotta. One person each
from California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Nebraska, New
Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia also reported an
illness. Two of the illnesses were in newborn babies, the CDC said.
File photo (MGN)
