The FDA, along with CDC and state and local partners, is investigating a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to Brie and Camembert soft cheese products manufactured by Old Europe Cheese, Inc. of Benton Harbor, MI, and sold at various retailers under multiple labels and brands, including Reny Picot.
Based on epidemiologic information provided by CDC, of the five patients with information available, four (80%) report eating Brie or Camembert cheese prior to illness. FDA, with assistance from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, initiated an inspection at the Old Europe Cheese, Inc. facility in Michigan, which included sample collection and analysis. Analysis of environmental samples collected at the facility showed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) analysis determined that the Listeria strain found in the facility matches the Listeria strain causing illnesses in this outbreak.
Old Europe Cheese, Inc. has voluntarily recalled multiple brands of Brie and Camembert cheeses produced at their Michigan facility in response to investigation findings. The firm has also halted production and distribution of their Brie and Camembert products from the Michigan facility and is working with FDA on corrective actions. Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not eat, sell, or serve recalled products and should throw them away; this includes Best By Dates ranging from September 28, 2022 to December 14, 2022, and all flavors and quantities. A full list of recalled products and stores that potentially sold these products is available below and on the firm’s recall.
FDA’s investigation is ongoing to determine if additional products are potentially contaminated. Updates to this advisory will be provided as they become available.
Recommendation
Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not eat, sell, or serve recalled products and should throw them away; this includes Best By Dates ranging from September 28, 2022 to December 14, 2022, and all flavors and quantities. A full list of recalled products and stores that potentially sold these products is available below and on the firm’s recall.
Retailers may have repackaged bulk Old Europe Cheese items into smaller containers and sold this repackaged product to consumers. This repackaged product may not bear the original labeling and product information. If you are unsure where your Brie or Camembert cheese is from, ask your retailer or throw it away.
Listeria is most likely to sicken pregnant people and their newborns, adults aged 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems. Other people can be infected with Listeria, but they rarely become seriously ill.
Call your healthcare provider right away if you have these symptoms after eating Old Europe Cheese Inc. or Reny Picot brand Brie and Camembert products:
- Pregnant people typically experience only fever, fatigue, and muscle aches. However, Listeria infection during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.
- People who are not pregnant may experience headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, in addition to fever and muscle aches.
Follow FDA’s safe handling and cleaning advice and use extra vigilance in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with these products to reduce the risk of cross-contamination, including retailers who repackaged bulk recalled cheese. Listeria can survive in refrigerated temperatures and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces.
Case Count Map Provided by CDC
Case Counts
Total Illnesses: 6
Hospitalizations: 5
Deaths: 0
Last illness onset: August 5, 2022
States with Cases: CA, GA, MA, MI, NJ, TX
Product Distribution: Nationwide
Useful Links
- What Products are Recalled?
- What is Listeria?
- Food Safety Tips for Consumers & Retailers During an Outbreak
- Who to Contact
Recalled Products
Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not eat, sell, or serve recalled products listed below and should throw them away; this includes Best By Dates ranging from September 28, 2022 to December 14, 2022, and all flavors and quantities. A more detailed list of products is available on the firm’s recall.
- Reny Picot
- Black Bear
- Block & Barrel
- Charmant
- Cobblestone
- Culinary Tour
- Fredericks
- Fresh Thyme
- Glenview Farms
- Good & Gather
- Heinen’s
- Joan of Arc
- La Bonne Vie
- Lidl Preferred Selection
- Life in Provence
- Matrie’d
- Market 32
- Metropolitan
- Prestige
- Primo Taglio
- Red Apple Cheese
- St. Randeaux
- Taste of Inspiration
- St. Rocco
- Trader Joe
The products were distributed from August 01, 2022 through September 28, 2022, and were available at supermarkets, wholesale and retail stores nationwide and in Mexico. Retailers include:
- Albertsons
- Safeway
- Meijer
- Harding’s
- Shaw’s
- Price Chopper
- Market Basket
- Raley’s
- Save Mart
- Giant Foods
- Stop & Shop
- Fresh Thyme
- Lidl
- Sprouts
- Athenian Foods
- Whole Foods
This list may not include all retail establishments that have received the recalled product or may include retail establishments that did not actually receive the recalled product.
If you are unsure of what brand your Brie or Camembert cheese is, or if it is an Old Europe Cheese, Inc. product, ask your retailer or throw it away.
Who to Contact
Consumers who have symptoms should contact their health care provider to report their symptoms and receive care.
To report a complaint or adverse event (illness or serious allergic reaction), you can
- Call an FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator if you wish to speak directly to a person about your problem.
- Complete an electronic Voluntary MedWatch form online.
- Complete a paper Voluntary MedWatch form that can be mailed to FDA.
