On January 30, inspectors from the Consumer and Industry Services Division of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) took samples of Amish Classic Colby from a store in Trenton, Tenn. Tests conducted in the state lab confirmed the food was contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
The manufacturer of the recalled cheeses, Indiana-based Deutsch Käse Haus, is instructing all wholesalers and retailers to discontinue selling their existing stock of Amish Classic Colby deli horns distributed by MDS Foods under the Amish Classic label, as well as selected lots of Meijer’s Colby-jack deli horn cheese.
On February 10, Meijer Foods issued a recall notice through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after they were notified by Deutsch Kase Haus that evidence of potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination had been identified in their cheese products.
As of Saturday, February 11, 2017, the FDA has not posted any other recall alerts from companies affected by the contaminated cheese, including the manufacturer, Deutsch Kase Haus.
Sargento, a privately-held company, on the other hand, immediately posted a recall of its cheeses on its website as soon as Deutsch Kase Haus notified the company of the problem.
Needless to say, but consumers nationwide are urged to check their refrigerators for recalled Sargento, Meijer and Amish Classics branded sliced and shredded cheese, which can be identified by specific label codes. Do not consume the recalled cheeses. There have been no reports of illness associated with the recalled cheese products. Below is a list of the affected products by company name:
Deutsch Kase Haus’s Amish Classic Colby deli horns distributed by MDS Foods under the Amish Classic label with item number 55209 and sold as sliced deli cheese. They are also recalling lot numbers 110316V02, 110316V03 and 110316V04.
The company is also removing packaged Amish Classic Colby Cheese with item numbers 55241 and 55245 which were cut from the suspect 55209 product and wrapped at the MDS Foods manufacturing facility located in Tullahoma, Tenn.
All Meijer-branded “Colby Cheese” and “Colby Jack Cheese” sold in Meijer in-store deli counters are included in the recall. The recalled cheeses were sold in plastic deli packaging with printed labels that have the UPC numbers of 215927xxxxxx or 215938xxxxxx — the last six digits will vary and are determined by weight because the product is sold by weight at the deli counter.
Sargento Foods, Inc are recalling Sargento Ultra Thin Sliced Longhorn Colby,’ 6.84 oz., UPC 4610000228, with ‘Sell By’ dates of ‘12APR17B’ and ‘10MAY17B’ and ‘Sargento Chef Blends Shredded Nacho & Taco Cheese,’ 8 oz., UPC 4610040041, with ‘Sell By’ dates of ‘H14JUN17′ and ‘H12JUL17. These products were packaged at Sargento’s Plymouth, WI, facility using the cheeses manufactured by Deutsch Kase Haus.
Out of an abundance of caution, Sargento is also recalling:
*Sargento Sliced Colby-Jack Cheese, 12 oz., UPC 4610000109 with “Sell By” date of “11JUN17B”
*Sargento Sliced Pepper Jack Cheese, 12 oz., UPC 4610000108 with “Sell By” dates of “12JUN17B”, “09JUL17B” and “10JUL17B”
*Sargento Chef Blends Shredded Taco Cheese 8 oz., UPC 4610040002 with “Sell By” dates of “H14JUN17”, “F28JUN17” and “D28JUN17”
*Sargento Off The Block Shredded Fine Cut Colby-Jack Cheese, 8 oz., UPC 4610040014 with “Sell By” date of “F05JUL17”
*Sargento Off The Block Shredded Fine Cut Cheddar Jack Cheese, 8 oz., UPC 4610040076 with “Sell By” date of “F05JUL17”
These products are being recalled because they were packaged on the same line as the affected cheeses.
