Food alert on cheese product

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (December 13) advised people not to eat a batch of "Queso Fresco, Fresh Cheese" possibly contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The CFS also appealed to the trade to stop selling the product.

The alert followed an announcement by relevant authorities in the United States that Listeria monocytogenes were found in a sample of "Queso Fresco, Fresh Cheese".

The cheese, made by the Peregrina Cheese Corporation, New York , is sold in a foil wrapped, 14-oz net weight package carrying a code of 3973.

Symptoms after exposure to Listeria monocytogenes may include fever, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea. Healthy individuals rarely develop symptoms. The effect on pregnant women, newborns, the elderly and people with lowered immunity, however, could be severe, and could include miscarriage and meningitis.

"We have contacted the US authorities for more information. We have also alerted the trade and are closely monitoring the situation," a CFS spokesman said.

Ends/Thursday, December 13, 2007