If you keep a block of cheddar in the fridge for sandwiches, your next casserole, or just for snacking, take a quick look at the label. Family Farmstead Dairy is recalling all of its raw cheddar cheese because it may be contaminated with Listeria, a bacteria that can cause serious illness. It’s the second recall for this dairy’s cheddar in less than a month.

The recall covers the company’s 8-ounce Raw Mild Cheddar and Raw Sharp Cheddar with best-by dates of 10/16/27 and earlier. The cheese was sold in a dozen states, mostly in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

Front label of recalled Family Farmstead Raw Cheddar cheese, 8 oz.
Photo: Via official recall notice.

The Quick Facts

  • What: Family Farmstead Dairy Raw Mild Cheddar and Raw Sharp Cheddar
  • Size: 8-ounce plastic-wrapped blocks
  • Dates: All lots with best-by dates of 10/16/27 and earlier
  • Why: Possible Listeria contamination
  • Sold in: NY, NJ, VT, NH, MA, PA, RI, CT, DE, VA, WV and TN

Why This Recall Matters

This isn’t the first time Family Farmstead’s cheddar has been pulled this fall. On October 15, the Worcester, New York, dairy recalled certain raw cheddar products over possible E. coli contamination. Now the company has widened things and is recalling every cheddar it makes, this time because of Listeria, according to the FDA recall notice.

Listeria is a particularly sneaky germ. Unlike most bacteria, it can keep growing at refrigerator temperatures, so a block of cheese that has been sitting in your fridge isn’t necessarily safe just because it’s been refrigerated properly. And because these cheeses are made from raw (unpasteurized) milk, they skip the heating step that normally helps kill any harmful bacteria.

Which Cheeses Are Included

  • Raw Mild Cheddar: 8 oz, plastic wrapped, all lot codes dated 10/16/27 and prior
  • Raw Sharp Cheddar: 8 oz, plastic wrapped, all lot codes dated 10/16/27 and prior

To check yours, turn the package over and find the best-by date on the back label. If it reads 10/16/27 or anything earlier, it’s part of the recall. According to the company, no other Family Farmstead Dairy products are included.

Back label of Family Farmstead Raw Cheddar showing where to find the best-by date.
Photo: Via official recall notice.

Where Was It Sold?

The cheese went to retail stores in New York, New Jersey, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee. Specific stores weren’t named, so if you live in one of these states and picked up raw cheddar at a farm stand, co-op or specialty grocer, it’s worth a second look.

What To Do If You Have It

  • Don’t eat it. Not even a nibble. Cooking it into a dish isn’t a safe workaround, so set it aside.
  • Toss it or take it back. Throw the cheese away or return it to the store where you bought it.
  • Give your fridge a wipe-down. Since Listeria can spread to other surfaces, clean and sanitize any shelves, drawers, cutting boards, counters or utensils the cheese touched.
  • Check any leftovers. If you grated it into a casserole, mac and cheese or a cheese tray that’s still in the fridge, toss those too.
  • Got questions? Call Family Farmstead Dairy at (607) 397-4044 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) or email customerservice@familyfarmsteaddairy.com.

Symptoms To Watch For

For most healthy adults, a Listeria infection may cause short-term symptoms such as:

  • High fever
  • Severe headache
  • Stiffness
  • Nausea and abdominal pain
  • Diarrhea

Listeria can be much more serious, and sometimes fatal, for young children, older adults and anyone with a weakened immune system. It’s also especially dangerous during pregnancy, when an infection can cause miscarriage or stillbirth.

Symptoms don’t always show up right away and can take days or even weeks to appear. If you’ve eaten this cheese and feel unwell, or if you’re pregnant or in a higher-risk group and are concerned, call your doctor and let them know about the recall.

Know a cheese lover in the Northeast? Share this so they can check their fridge, too.