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Whole Foods Recalls Bravo Farms Cheese

By Dan Flynn and Suzanna Schreck

Whole Foods Market announced Wednesday that it has carried many of the products involved in the recall of Bravo Farms cheese.
Earlier this week Bravo Farms recalled its entire inventory due to evidence of Listeria and E. coli contamination at their Traver, CA plant.
Bravo's products at Whole Foods Market stores in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington are part of the recall; all were cut and packaged in clear plastic wrap and sold with a "Distributed by Whole Foods Market" sticker.
The following products are included in the recall:
? Sage Cheddar? Silver Mountain Cheddar? Chipotle Cheddar? Premium Block Cheddar? Premium White Chunk Cheddar? Chipotle Chunk Cheddar? White Black Wax Cheddar
Signs are posted in Whole Foods Market stores to notify customers of the recall, according to a news release from the Food and Drug Administration.No illnesses associated with this recall have been reported to date.Consumers who have purchased any of the listed products from Whole Foods Market may return them to the store for a full refund.
Consumers may contact Whole Foods Market at 512-542-0878.
Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced yesterday that the number of those confirmed ill with E. coli O157:H7 infections after eating Bravo Farms raw milk Gouda-style cheese has risen to 38.  That cheese was served or sold at Costco warehouses in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado and the San Diego area.
E. coli O157:H7 causes diarrhea illness often with bloody stools. Although most healthy adults can recover completely within a week, some people can develop a form of kidney failure. Young children and the elderly are most susceptible to serious complications and even death.
Listeria can cause listeriosis among at-risk people, including pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, and sometimes nausea or diarrhea.  If infection spreads to the nervous system, symptoms such as headache and stiff neck can occur. Infected pregnant women may experience only a mild, flu like illness; however, infections during pregnancy can lead to more serious problems for the fetus. Consumers should seek immediate medical care if they develop these symptoms. 

Full post as published by Food Safety News on November 25, 2010 (boomark / email).