Sargento Foods Inc. is expanding its cheese recall due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes that originated from a supplier’s facility. So far, there have been no confirmed illnesses.
Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria monocytogenes infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
“We deeply regret any inconvenience or concern this issue has caused,” Sargento Foods Chief Executive Officer Louie Gentine said. “We have high expectations for the quality and safety of our products and hold our suppliers accountable to those same standards. We will continue to evaluate our processes to ensure we remain a leader in food safety and quality.”
Out of concern for the health and well-being of Sargento consumers, the company has also terminated its relationship with Deutsch Kase Haus, which supplied Sargento with the affected Longhorn Colby cheese.
Out of an abundance of caution, in addition to the products recalled on February 10, 2017, with the new information Sargento received from its supplier, the company is also voluntarily recalling the following products which were packaged on the same lines:
Sargento Sliced Colby, 8 oz., UPC 4610000105, Sell By date 15MAY17F
Sargento Sliced Muenster, 8oz., UPC 4610000107, Sell By dates 05MAR17F, 06MAR17F, 15APR17F, 16APR17F and 17APR17F
Sargento Sliced Pepper Jack, 7.5 oz., UPC 4610000122, Sell By date 03MAY17B
Sargento Sliced Tomato & Basil Jack, 6.67 oz., UPC 4610000279, Sell By date 03MAR17B
Sargento Shredded Reduced Fat Colby-Jack, 8 oz., UPC 4610041018, Sell By date H07APR17
Sargento Shredded Chef Blends 4 Cheese Pizzeria, 8 oz., UPC 4610041105, Sell By date H10APR17
Sargento Artisan Blends Double Cheddar Shredded Cheese, 8 oz., UPC 4610040094, Sell By date H08JUN17 and H09JUN17
Sargento is also adding “Sell By” dates to some of the products that were previously recalled on February 10, 2017:
Sargento Ultra Thin Sliced Longhorn Colby, 6.84 oz., UPC 4610000228, Sell By dates 02FEB17F, 01MAR17B and 16MAR17F
Sargento Chefs Blend Taco Blend Shredded Cheese, 8 oz., UPC 4610040002, Sell By dates H11MAY17 and H01JUN17
Sargento Sliced Pepper Jack, 12oz., UPC 4610000108, Sell By dates 02MAY17B, 03MAY17B, 11JUN17B
Sargento Sliced Colby-Jack, 12oz., UPC 4610000109, Sell By date 01MAY17B
Sargento Off the Block Fine Cut Colby-Jack Shredded Cheese, 8 oz., UPC 4610040014, Sell By date H06MAY17
Sargento Chef Blends Nacho & Taco Shredded Cheese, 8oz., UPC 4610040041, Sell By dates H04MAY17, S15MAY17 and H01JUN17
Sargento Off the Block Fine Cut Cheddar Jack Shredded Cheese, 8 oz., UPC 4610040076, Sell By dates H07MAY17, H08MAY17 and H09MAY17
Consumers can also check if they have recalled product by visiting
info.sargento.com. This webpage will be updated with the latest information about the Feb. 10 recall and this voluntary expanded recall. Consumers can also call Sargento Consumer Affairs at 1-800-243-3737 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., (Central Time) Monday through Friday, or send your questions to the “Contact Us” page at sargento.com. Contacting Sargento allows the company to activate reimbursements.
