Cheese Recall Impacts Target, Whole Foods and other stores

Minnesota-based manufacturer Parkers Farm, Inc is recalling several of its products because they may contain Listeria monocytogenes, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections. National markets that carry Parker Farm products- including Shop Rite, Path Mark, Wal-Mart, Target, Price Chopper, and Whole Foods- are being affected.

The risk of a healthy adult becoming ill is very small. Short-term symptoms include headache, fever, stiffness nausea, cramping and diarrhea. But the young, frail, elderly and those with compromised immune systems are more susceptible. The bacterium is especially dangerous if eaten by pregnant women as it can cause miscarriages and still births.

According to the CDC, approximately 2,500 people per year become seriously ill with listerosis and of those 500 die. As of this posting, no one has yet come forward claiming to be ill from the tainted products.

The recalled products, which number in the dozens, include peanut butter, bagel spreads, dips, cheeses and salsas. For a complete list of products, please visit the FDA’s website.