FDA expands recall of Ambriola cheeses over listeria, including in New York
The Ambriola Company Issued recalls of cheese products due to a listeria health risk. Credit: USFDA
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has expanded a recall of Ambriola cheese products due to potential listeria contamination.
The recall across 20 states includes pecorino Romano cheese, first voluntarily recalled Nov. 25 from a manufacturer in West Caldwell, New Jersey. The FDA elevated the recall Jan. 6 to its highest warning level.
The recall includes grated pecorino Romano cheese shipped nationwide under the brands of Ambriola, Locatelli, Boar’s Head, Sam’s Club Member’s Mark and Pinna. The cheeses have expiration dates between Feb. 28 and March 13.
Locatelli grated pecorino Romano is among the products recalled by the Ambriola Company. Credit: USFDA
The Class 1 warning level is for products included in "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."
The cheese was shipped to stores between Nov. 3 and 20 in New York New Jersey, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
FDA officials said no illnesses had been reported as a result of the recalled products. The recall includes products processed at the same New Jersey facility, which stopped distribution of the recalled products as a precaution.
The warning was issued for listeria, which can cause serious infections and can turn fatal, for young children, elderly and others who may be immune compromised. It also can cause short-term symptoms in healthy people, including high fever, headaches, nausea, stiffness and abdominal illness, according to the FDA.
Anyone who bought the products can return them to the store where they were bought for a refund. Ambriola can be contacted at 800-962-8224.
"We take food safety very seriously and immediately alerted stores and distributors to remove the affected products from shelves," according to a statement by Ambriola CEO Phil Marfuggi. "We are working closely with the FDA and continuing to test our products and facilities to fully understand the situation."
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
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'Success is zero deaths on the roadway' Newsday reporters spent this year examining the risks on Long Island's roads, where traffic crashes over a decade killed more than 2,100 people and seriously injured more than 16,000. This documentary is a result of that newsroom-wide effort.
