Another Cheese Recall Just Got the FDA's Worst Warning

A cheese recall that started quietly in August just got upgraded to the FDA's highest risk level. Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op in Ohio recalled multiple products for listeria contamination, and now it's a Class I situation.

Class I means "reasonable probability" the product will cause "serious adverse health consequences or death." Not the warning you want on your pepper jack.

The company found listeria on their cutting equipment and in finished products during routine testing. They recalled everything on August 27. The FDA slapped the Class I classification on it September 23, nearly a month later.

What's Actually Recalled

It's a long list. Sunrise Creamery's Dilly Pickle Monterey Jack, various Middlefield products including gouda, mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, Swiss, pepper jack, and Monterey Jack. Both shredded and block versions.

Check the sell-by dates - they range from September 2025 to February 2026. The products were made May 30 and August 13, distributed to Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Texas between July 7 and August 14.

They went to distributors, dining halls, and retail stores. So basically everywhere.

Why Listeria Is Actually Scary

Mary O'Riordan from University of Michigan Medical School explains the worst part: listeria grows at refrigerated temperatures. Your fridge won't stop it. Cold storage actually gives it time to multiply.

Early symptoms look like regular food poisoning - fever, diarrhea, vomiting. But listeria can spread to your brain and cause meningitis. If you get a headache, stiff neck, or confusion after eating recalled cheese, get to a hospital.

Pregnant women are especially at risk. The FDA says listeria can cause miscarriages and stillbirths. Newborns, elderly people, and anyone with a weak immune system are also high-risk.

The Numbers Game

The good news - no reported illnesses yet as of September 8. But listeria has a long incubation period - symptoms can take weeks to show up. By then, people might not connect it to cheese they ate a month ago.

Haley Oliver from Purdue University says the infection timeline varies considerably. Some people get sick quickly, others take longer. The amount of bacteria needed for infection differs person to person too.

What Makes This Worse

The contamination wasn't just in one batch. They found it on cutting equipment surfaces, meaning cross-contamination was happening. Multiple products, multiple dates, multiple states affected.

These weren't specialty items either. Five-pound bags of shredded mozzarella? That's pizza night for half of America. This stuff went to dining halls too - think colleges, hospitals, and nursing homes. Exactly where vulnerable populations eat.

The Refrigerator Problem

Here's what's terrifying about listeria: your normal food safety habits don't work. Keeping cheese cold? Listeria loves the cold. Checking if it looks or smells off? Contaminated products often seem perfectly fine.

O'Riordan points out that cheeses and deli meats kept in cold storage for long periods are perfect for listeria growth.

What You Should Actually Do

Check your fridge now. Look for any Middlefield or Sunrise Creamery products with those sell-by dates. Don't taste it to check if it's okay. Don't cook with it thinking heat will kill the bacteria. Just throw it out or return it for a refund.

If you ate any recalled products recently and feel sick, mention it to your doctor. Listeria isn't always the first thing they test for, so you need to bring it up.

Pregnant women who ate recalled cheese should contact their doctor even without symptoms. Same for anyone immunocompromised.

The Bigger Picture

This is the reality of industrial food production. One contaminated piece of equipment can affect thousands of pounds of product across multiple states. By the time testing catches it, the cheese is already in people's fridges.

The recall is listed as "ongoing," which means more products might be added. The FDA takes weeks to upgrade risk classifications while contaminated products sit in refrigerators multiplying bacteria.

No illnesses reported yet doesn't mean it's safe. It means people haven't connected their symptoms to cheese they ate weeks ago. Or they haven't gotten sick yet.

Check your cheese. Check the dates. When in doubt, throw it out. Listeria isn't worth the risk.