Whole Foods Recalls Cheese Over Listeria Concerns

Whole Foods is the latest company to be hit with a Listeria problem. According to a release from the Food and Drug Administration, the pricey grocery store chain is voluntarily recalling a roquefort cheese it sells in its cheese cases. The Papillion Organic Roquefort was cut by Whole Foods and packaged in clear plastic wrap with the store's scale labels, which are the labels the grocer prints in-store.

The cheese was recalled after the FDA did a standard sampling and found the presence of Listeria Monocytogenes in a "whole, uncut wheel of the cheese." The FDA says the recall applies to all sell by dates. The product has been removed from store shelves, and so far, no illnesses have been reported. Listeria can be fatal and symptoms include nausea, vomiting, high fever, and abdominal pain. Eater has reached out to Whole Foods for more information.

This is the second time Papillion's roquefort cheese has been recalled this year. In June, the cheese sold to Canadian markets was found to contain a toxin produced by the Staphylococcus bacteria. It is also the second large Listeria-related cheese recall in just two months: California cheesemaker Karoun Dairies halted production of its soft cheeses after they were linked to 24 illnesses around the country and one death.

It has been a rough few months for Whole Foods. In addition to the recall, the chain is in the midst of multiple lawsuits. In June, an investigation revealed that New York City locations of the store were overcharging customers, and now a Bronx resident is suing. Whole Foods was also hit with a federal lawsuit accusing it of violating securities laws, and PETA is suing the chain as well for allegedly violating California consumer protection laws. The animal rights activists claim that the store is tricking customers into paying higher prices for meat that is not actually humanely raised.