Tomales Bay Foods Recalls Shepherd's Way Big Woods Blue Cheese
Tomales Bay Foods is recalling specific lots of Shepherd's Way Big Woods Blue cheese due to the presence of Listeria monocytogenes detected by the California Department of Agriculture.
The agency’s classification
FDA (Food): Class I
Class I is 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.
This is the agency’s own classification, taken from its notice. The severity score below is our assessment, not the agency’s. How recall classes work
What this means for you
Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).
The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.
Our severity reasoning: The agency classification is FDA Class I, which mandates a severity score of at least 4 per the rubric. Additionally, the presence of Listeria monocytogenes is a high-risk pathogen.
Plain-English summary
Tomales Bay Foods, Inc. is voluntarily recalling approximately 31.9 pounds of Shepherd's Way Big Woods Blue cheese. The product is cut and packaged by Tomales Bay Foods in Petaluma, California. The cheese is wrapped in cheese paper with the type of cheese marked with a magic marker and a Tomales Bay Foods sticker applied.
The recall was initiated after the State of California Department of Agriculture sampled finished product and found Listeria monocytogenes in Pondhopper cheese. The source text does not specify if the Listeria was found in the Shepherd's Way Big Woods Blue cheese itself or if the detection in Pondhopper cheese triggered a precautionary recall of the Blue cheese, but the recall notice links the two events. Affected product has pack dates of 6/28 and after, and make dates ranging from 7/19/11 to 7/27/11.
Distribution of the recalled product occurred in two parts. Part One included California, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, Oregon, Utah, and international locations including Italy, Spain, Switzerland, France, Holland, and Greece. Part Two distribution occurred between June 25, 2012, and July 27, 2012, in California, North Carolina, and Florida. Consumers should check their pantries for this specific product and dispose of it or return it to the place of purchase.
The recalled product
- Product
- Shepherd's Way Big Woods Blue cut wrapped in cheese paper with with type of cheese marked with magic marker and a Tomales Bay Foods sticker applied. Product is cut and packaged by Tomales Bay Foods, Petaluma, CA
- Manufacturer
- Tomales Bay Foods, Inc.
- Category
- Food — Cheese
- Hazard
Is your product affected?
Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.
Lot numbers (2)
- Pack Dates of 6/28 and after
- Make date of 7/19/11 to 7/27/11
Distribution
Part of a larger recall action
This product is one of 3 recalled by Tomales Bay Foods, Inc. under a single FDA (Food) recall action. The agency files each product separately, so the size of the action is not visible from this page alone.
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