Listeria? Recall of three cheeses

Due to a potential contamination with Listeria bacteria, the farm Fleckenbühl recalls three organic raw milk cheeses. It affects three different varieties with the best before date 9 April 2015. The company has been advised not to eat the cheese.

Three organic raw milk cheeses recalled
The farm Fleckenbühl calls back after a disruption in the production of three organic raw milk cheeses. As the news agency dpa reported, a spokesman in Cölbe in the Hesse said that it could not be ruled out that this cheese was contaminated with listeria. According to the information, the following varieties are affected: "Fleckenbühler Schönstädter" (batch number: 060715), "Fleckenbühler Garlic Soft Cheese" (060615) and "Fleckenbühler Pfefferweichkäse" (060515). All three have a best before date of 9 April 2015. Consumers who have such goods at home should not eat them but return them to the shops. The affected products have been withdrawn from the market.

Disruption discovered in the production process
At the end of March Listeria had been detected in another type of cheese. Thereupon a disturbance in the production process was discovered and remedied with the cause search. Now the three other varieties have to be recalled from "precautionary consumer protection". But the Hessian company is far from the only one with such problems. For years, food has repeatedly been recalled for listeria or other bacteria. When such were found in the diet, it was in addition to cheese mostly sausage, meat or fish.

Health hazard due to Listeria
The bacteria can sometimes cause the so-called listeriosis. Pregnant women, small children or weakened persons are particularly at risk due to this notifiable infectious disease. In healthy adults, infection is usually harmless and is accompanied by flu-like symptoms or gastrointestinal symptoms. This can lead to fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, body aches or headaches. According to health experts, Listeria can cause meningitis (meningitis) or blood poisoning (sepsis), especially in high-risk groups. A disease can be life-threatening in individual cases. (Ad)

Picture: Rolf Handke