Whole Foods Market has issued a recall of various specialty cheese products after an employee identified the presence of an undeclared egg allergen. The recall, made public on September 11, concerns the Fromagerie Coop de Mean Cabricharme cheese, which contains egg white protein known as egg lysozyme that is not listed on the product label.
The recalled cheese is particularly concerning for those who have allergies or severe sensitivities to eggs, as consumption could provoke serious or even life-threatening allergic reactions. The specific variant impacted is the Fromagerie Coop de Mean Cabricharme Raw Milk cheese, which has been aged for 60 days and bears the price look-up code (PLU) 57953. This product has a best-by date that extends up to October 7, 2026.
The cheeses subject to this recall were distributed across seven states, including California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. Whole Foods Market confirmed that the affected items have been promptly removed from its stores, with no illnesses relating to this issue reported thus far.
In addition to the Fromagerie Coop de Mean Cabricharme, the recall also includes Belgian Cabricharme cheese, which carries the PLU code 54670 and is subject to the same expiration dates. This particular cheese was sold in California and Arizona. These cheeses were sold in the Specialty Cheese department, cut, wrapped by the pound, and labelled with Whole Foods Market scale tags.
The decision to recall these products was initiated by Whole Foods, based in Austin, Texas, after staff discovered the mislabelling issue. Despite the precautionary steps taken, the company assured the public that there have been no reported health consequences related to the consumption of the recalled items.
For consumers who purchased the affected cheese, Whole Foods has advised that they can either destroy the product or return it to the point of purchase for a full refund. There is no requirement for customers to physically return the product to the store, highlighting the company’s emphasis on consumer safety.
This recent cheese recall follows another incident involving made Fresh Salads, Inc., a New York-based company that recalled cream cheese products and ready-to-eat salads over concerns of potential Listeria contamination. This recall was announced on September 6, after environmental testing by the company and the FDA detected Listeria monocytogenes in certain areas of the facility.
As a precaution, Made Fresh Salads ceased production of the compromised products and began cooperating with the FDA to address the issue. Similar to the Whole Foods recall, no illnesses had been reported in relation to these contaminated products. The recall affected a multitude of cream cheese and ready-to-eat salad items with expiration dates ranging from September 3 to September 18, which had been distributed throughout New York City’s boroughs.
Consumers who had obtained these products were strongly advised to return them. The company had previously faced a recall in February of this year when certain cream cheese items were found to be contaminated with Listeria, in that instance discovered during routine sampling when contamination was detected in equipment used for product mixing.
As food safety continues to be a priority, both Whole Foods and Made Fresh Salads have taken swift action to prevent any customer harm. The focus on transparency and consumer safety is vital in maintaining trust as these companies navigate through the complexities of food production and distribution in the wake of allergens and contaminants. Customers are reminded to stay vigilant and check for product recall notices that may affect their purchases, as such measures help ensure a safer dining experience.