Whole Foods Market Inc. is recalling Crave Brothers Les Freres cheese after they have been linked to an outbreak of a bacterial infection that has effected the health of people in several states and allegedly responsible for one death.
Whole Foods said the cheese may contain listeria monocytogenes, a rare and serious disease. The cheese is repackaged in plastic wrap and sold under a Whole Foods Market label. The company has posted signs informing their customers about the recall.
"We are cooperating with the regulatory agencies' ongoing investigation of the case of the potential health risks," George Crave, president of the company, said in a statement posted on the company's website.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, five people between the ages of 31 and 67 have been hospitalized and one person has died as a result. Officials in Minnesota said Thursday, an elderly person in their state died and another became fossilized. Both deaths are linked to the cheese.
Elderly people, pregnant women, newborns and people with weaken immune systems have a greater chance of contracting the disease. They make up 90 percent of listeria infections, according to the Center for Disease Control.
The bacteria can cause high fever, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
The company announced they will voluntarily recall certain cheeses that were made on or before July 1. Those cheeses include Les Freres, Petit Freres, and Petit Freres with Truffles.
According to the Huffington Post, Whole Foods have advice their customers to throw the cheese away and bring in their receipts for a full refund. Crave Brothers in based in Waterloo, Wis and is sold in 30 states.
