FDA Upgrades Cheese Recall Over Listeria To Highest Level

People in nearly two dozen states who bought certain brands of Pecorino Romano cheese around Thanksgiving and still have the product in their refrigerators should toss it. The cheese may be contaminated with listeria, the Food and Drug Administration said in a recent recall update.

The FDA has upgraded a November recall by New Jersey-based Ambriola Company affecting more than 11,500 units of the grated cheese sold in bags and cups. On Jan. 6, the FDA said the recall was classified as Class I, the highest risk category.

The products have expiration dates well into 2026 and may still be in people’s refrigerators. Eating products contaminated with the listeria bacterium can lead to serious health problems or death. No illnesses have been reported, according to the FDA.

This means there is “a reasonable probability” that consuming the products could cause “serious adverse health consequences or death,” according to the FDA.

The cheeses were sold in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin between Nov. 3-20.

They include:

• Locatelli Grated Pecorino Romano, 4-ounce and 8-ounce plastic cups with lid: Lot numbers 1000572472, 1000570734, 1000570735, 1000570736, 1000572482, 1000572483, and 1000572485
• Locatelli Grated Pecorino Romano, 5- and 10-pound plastic bags: Lot numbers 1000570725, 1000572476, 1000570724, 1000572475, 1000570726, 1000570727, and 1000572477
• Pinna Grated Pecorino Romano 2/10, 10-pound plastic bags: Lot number 1000572486
• Boar's Head Grated Pecorino Romano, 6-ounce plastic cup with lid: Lot number 1000572486
• Sam's Pecorino Romano grated, 1.5-pound plastic bags: Lot numbers 1000570107, 1000570766, and 1000572513
• Boar's Head Pecorino Romano Grated, 5-pound plastic bags: Lot numbers 1000570093 and 1000570738
• Ambriola Piccante grated Pecorino Romano, 5- and 10-pound plastic bags: Lot numbers 1000572981, 1000570737, 1000570092, and 1000572487
• Locatelli Grated Pecorino Romano 48/8 ounce Shipper, plastic cup with lid: Lot numbers 1000570750, 1000572499, and 1000572514

More information and product images can be found on the FDA website.