A Cheese in the United States Imported from Italy was Found to be Contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes

Issue Date	28 August 2007
Source of Information	Georgia Department of Agriculture , USA
Food Product	Cheese
Name of Product	Locatelli brand Ricotta Salata Cheese
Importer Information	Imported into USA from Italy
Product Description	--
Durability Indication	"SELL BY" date of “ 01/21/08 ”
Reason for Recall	Contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
Action Taken by the Centre for Food Safety	The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) has contacted the Italian Consulate for more information. The CFS has also alerted the trade and is closely monitoring the situation.
Advice to the Trade	Stop selling the affected products.
Advice to Consumers	Consumers who have purchased the affected products should stop consuming them. They should seek medical advice if symptoms develop.
Further Information	The Georgia Department of Agriculture, USA press release The CFS press release

Centre for Food Safety
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
28 August 2007