In a routine sampling, the Food and Drug Administration found some of the cheese had the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The bacteria can cause serious and sometimes deadly infections in children, the elderly or those with weakened immune systems. No one has been reported sick. Healthy people could experience fever, severe headache, stiffness, abdominal pain and nausea.
Listeria infection can also cause miscarriages in pregnant women.
The cheese is packed in a sleeved 7.5 ounce rectangular plastic container. The affected lot number is 020991 . The cheese was sold in fewer than 50 stores in California, Oregon and Washington. Most are independent stores, but six Save Mart stores in California may have sold the cheese. Sonoma Foods said Tuesday it has stopped producing or shipping the cheese during an internal and FDA investigation.