Popular Cheese Brands Recalled Over Deadly Listeria Contamination

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it's bumped its recall of several popular cheese brands over a listeria contamination to Class I status, meaning consumption could lead to "serious adverse health consequences or death."

Thousands of batches of various Pecorino Romano cheese brands were initially recalled in November due to the confirmed presence of Listeria monocytogenes. The following products were included in the recall:

• Boar's Head Grated Pecorino Romano sold in a 6-ounce cup with expiration dates of 3/4/2026 and 3/12/2026.
• Locatelli Pecorino Romano Grated sold in a 4-ounce cup with expiration dates of 5/3/2026, 5/10/2026, and 5/17/2026.
• Locatelli Pecorino Romano Grated sold in an 8-ounce cup with expiration dates of 4/6, 4/11, 4/12, 4/15, 4/17, 5/5, 5/6, 5/7, 5/10, 5/12, 5/14, and 5/17/2026.
• Member's Mark Pecorino Romano 1.5-pound bag with expiration dates of 3/25/206, 3/30/2026, and 4/5/2026.
• Ambriola Grated Pecorino Romano with expiration dates of 2/28, 3/4, and 3/11/2026.
• Boar's Head Pecorino Romano Grated bag with expiration dates of 3/3 and 3/12/2026.
• Locatelli Grated Pecorino Roman with expiration dates of 3/4, 3/6, 3/11, and 3/13/2026.
• Pinna Grated Pecorino Romano with the expiration date 3/11/2026.

The products were distributed in 20 states -- Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin -- and all have expiration dates well into 2026, so consumers are advised to check if the product is in their refrigerators. The FDA confirmed that it was working with Ambriola to test the products and facilities to determine what caused the contamination in its original recall.

Customers who purchased the recalled items are eligible for a full refund. Symptoms for listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms, according to FSIS.