Aldi shoppers are being urged to check their fridge amid a concerning new recall. On Nov. 4, Savencia Cheese USA voluntarily recalled select soft ripened cheeses, including Brie and Camembert cheeses, produced at the company’s manufacturing facility in Lena, Illinois due to possible listeria contamination.
According to a notice shared by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), the recall includes Aldi Emporium Selection Brie, 12/8oz Brie, La Bonne Vie Brie, 6/8oz, La Bonne Vie Camembert, 6/8 ounce, 12/8 ounce Industrial Brie, Market Basket Brie 6/8 ounce, and Supreme Oval 7oz, 6/7oz with Best Buy Dates of 12/24/2024. Glenview Farms Spreadable Brie, 2/3lb with a Best Buy Date of 1/13/2025 is also included in the recall. UPC codes, as well as product label photos, are available here.
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The recalled cheeses “had limited regional distribution in the United States,” and the “few retailers” that received the cheeses “have been informed of this possible contamination and are in the process of removing products from shelves,” according to the notice.
The recall was initiated after routine testing “identified that processing equipment at the site may have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes,” the bacterium that can cause listeria infection. Listeriosis is a serious infection typically caused by consuming contaminated food and can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms, per the CDC. Young children, frail or elderly people, pregnant women, and others with weakened immune systems are at the highest risk. In some cases, it can be fatal.
Savencia Cheese USA clarified that while Listeria monocytogenes was found in the processing plant, testing has not found the bacterium on the recalled products. The company added that there have been no confirmed reports of adverse health events due to consumption of the recalled cheeses at this time, and the recall was initiated voluntarily “to retrieve the potentially affected product.”
Due to the health risks associated with Listeria monocytogenes contamination, the company urged consumers who purchased the recalled cheeses not to eat them. The products should instead be returned to the place of purchase for a full refund.
Aldi has not addressed the recall at this time, but states on its website that “while ALDI is committed to providing only the best quality at the lowest prices, our top priority is the safety of you and your family…. From time to time in the retail world, questions regarding a product’s quality or safety—or errors in its packaging or shipment—may arise. On those rare occasions, ALDI has a plan to swiftly and effectively remove such products from the store.”
