Premium retailer Whole Foods has made a nationwide recall of Papillion Organic Roquefort cheese, a national brand of blue cheese, Nature World Report reports.
The decision to recall the cheese comes after an FDA test suggested that the cheese could contain listeria, a deadly bacterium. The FDA discovered Listeria Monocytogenes while testing cheese from an uncut wheel of the affected brand.
In keeping in line with the image of Whole Foods as a high-end, premium quality retailer that emphasizes on how healthy and safe its premium quality products are, the company was quick to recall the cheese, recognizing that both lives and the company's reputation are at stake.
Last September, Whole Foods recalled another brand of cheeses, Karoun Dairies, that was also linked to listeria. Around 24 people got sick after eating the cheese, while one person was reported to have lost his life.
So far, no illnesses have been reported that are linked to the recalled cheese. However, experts noted that listeria has a long incubation period that may sometimes last for as long as two months.
Listeria can cause several serious complications, such as meningitis.
Listeria outbreaks can be caused by dairy products, vegetables, fruits and other food products. Processed meats, such as hot dogs and deli meats, are also common sources of listeria. Listeria can also be found in soil.
