As of September 28, 2022, six people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria have been reported from six states – California, Texas, Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey and Massachusetts.

Sick people’s samples were collected from August 6, 2017, to August 5, 2022.

Sick people range in age from 56 to 83 years, with a median age of 78, and 67% are female. Five people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.

The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Listeria. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.

State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the month before they got sick. Of the five people interviewed, four (80%) reported eating brie or camembert cheese. Most people did not remember the brand of the cheese they ate, but one person reported eating Lidl Premium Brand Brie. Old Europe Cheese is the only manufacturer of Lidl Premium Brand Brie.

Public health investigators are using the PulseNet system to identify illnesses that may be part of this outbreak. CDC PulseNet manages a national database of DNA fingerprints of bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses. DNA fingerprinting is performed on bacteria using a method called whole genome sequencing (WGS).

WGS showed that bacteria from sick people’s samples are closely related genetically. This suggests that people in this outbreak got sick from the same food.

FDA, with assistance from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, inspected the Old Europe Cheese facility in Michigan and collected samples for testing. WGS showed that the Listeria found in the cooling room is closely related genetically to Listeria from sick people’s samples. This provides more evidence that people likely got sick from eating cheese made by Old Europe Cheese.

Old Europe Cheese, Inc. of Benton Harbor, MI is issuing a voluntary recall of its Brie and Camembert cheeses because of potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

All Old Europe Cheese Brie and Camembert products with best by dates through 12/14/2022 are subject to the voluntary recall. The products were distributed from August 01, 2022 through September 28, 2022 and were available at supermarkets, wholesale and retail stores nationwide and Mexico; retailers include Albertsons, Safeway, Meijer, Harding’s, Shaw’s, Price Chopper, Market Basket, Raley’s, Save Mart, Giant Foods, Stop & Shop, Fresh Thyme, Lidl, Sprouts, Athenian Foods, Whole Foods. This list may not include all retail establishments that have received the recalled product or may include retail establishments that did not actually receive the recalled product.

The following products being recalled are marked with Best By Dates ranging fromSeptember 28, 2022 to December 14, 2022, Retailers may have repackaged bulk Old Europe Cheese items into smaller containers and sold this repackaged product to consumers. This repackaged product may not bear the original labeling and product information as described below:

BrandProduct NameUPC Code
BLACK BEAR6 lb Black Bear WheelN/A
BLOCK AND BARREL2.2 lb Block and Barrel Brie078982603281
BLOCK AND BARREL6.6 lb Block and Barrel BrieN/A
CHARMANT2.2 lb Brie – double crème, whole wheel – CHARMANTN/A
CHARMANT8 oz Brie – double crème, rounds033421023860
COBBLESTONE2.2 lb Cobblestone Brie Wheel822486179809
CULINARY TOUR8 oz Brie – double crème, rounds011225005145
CULINARY TOUR8 oz Brie – double crème, wedges, saran wrappedN/A
FREDERICKS8 oz Brie – dbl crème, wedges, saran wrappedN/A
FREDERICKS8 oz Brie – triple crème, rounds708820301214
FRESH THYME8 oz Brie – double crème, rounds841330111994
FRESH THYME8 oz Brie – triple crème, rounds841330111987
FRESH THYME8 oz Brie – wedges, saran wrappedN/A
FRESH THYME8 oz Camembert-Traditionnel rounds841330111970
GLENVIEW FARMS2.2 lb Brie – double crème, whole wheel758108121355
GLENVIEW FARMS3.25 lb Brie-double crème, rectangular RW758108670150
GOOD AND GATHER8 oz Good and Gather Wheel085239047620
HEINEN8 oz Brie – triple crème, rounds020601418028
JOAN OF ARC14 oz Joan of Arc Brie Wheel711565129111
JOAN OF ARC2.2 lb Joan of Arc Herb and Garlic WheelN/A
JOAN OF ARC2.2 lb Joan of Arc Peppercorn WheelN/A
JOAN OF ARC6.5 lb Joan of Arc Triple Creme WheelN/A
JOAN OF ARC8 oz Joan of Arc Camembert Wheel711565112243
JOAN OF ARC8 oz Joan of Arc Double Cream Wedge711565204993
JOAN OF ARC8 oz Joan of Arc Double Creme Wheel711565112236
JOAN OF ARC8 oz Joan of Arc Slicing Brie711565200520
JOAN OF ARC8 oz Joan of Arc Triple Creme Wheel711565129104
LA BONNE VIE14 oz Brie – double crème, rounds820581678678
LA BONNE VIE2.2 lb Brie – double crème, whole wheel820581678685
LA BONNE VIE6.5 lb Brie – double crème, whole wheel RW820581678692
LA BONNE VIE7 oz Brie – dbl crème w/Herbs, wedges, foil wrapped820581678661
LA BONNE VIE7 oz Brie – double crème, wedges, foil wrapped820581678654
LA BONNE VIE8 oz Brie – double crème, rounds820581678531
LA BONNE VIE8 oz Brie – triple crème, rounds820581678746
LA BONNE VIE8 oz Camembert – double crème, rounds820581678616
LIDL8 oz Brie – double crème, rounds4056489151739
LIFE IN PROVENCE8 oz Brie – rounds787984111952
MARKET 3214 oz Brie – double crème, rounds41735052865
MARKET 328 oz Brie – double crème, rounds41735052834
MARKET 328 oz Brie – double crème, wedges, saran wrapped41735052872
MARKET 328 oz Brie – triple crème, rounds41735052858
MARKET 328 oz Brie-dbl crème w/Herbs, wedges, saran wrapped41735052889
MARKET 328 oz Camembert – Traditionnel double crème, rounds41735052841
MATRIE ‘D2.2 lb Matrie’d Wheel780487488422
METROPOLITAN6.5 lb Metropolitan WheelN/A
METROPOLITAN8 oz Metropolitan Wheel711565007679
PRESTIGE8 oz Brie – triple crème, rounds021140033635
PRIMO TAGLIO6.5 lb Brie – w/Herbs, whole wheelN/A
PRIMO TAGLIO8 oz – w/Herbs, wedges21004900002
PRIMO TAGLIO8 oz Brie – double crème, rounds021130045679
PRIMO TAGLIO8 oz Brie – slicing rectangle021130098453
PRIMO TAGLIO8 oz Brie – triple crème, rounds – ST ROCCO133421027865
RED APPLE7 oz Brie – double crème, rounds604262030005
RED APPLE8 oz Brie – double crème, wedges, saran wrapped604262030036
Reny Picot1 lb Brie – double crème, slicing rectangle033421024201
Reny Picot14 oz Brie – double crème w/Herbs, rounds033421022764
Reny Picot14 oz Brie – double crème, rounds033421022757
Reny Picot14 oz Camembert – double crème, rounds033421022795
Reny Picot2.2 lb Brie – double crème, whole wheelN/A
Reny Picot2.2 lb Brie – triple crème, whole wheelN/A
Reny Picot3.25 lb Brie – double crème, rectangularN/A
Reny Picot6.5 lb Brie – double crème w/Herbs, whole wheelN/A
Reny Picot6.5 lb Brie – double crème, whole wheel RW – RENY PICOTN/A
Reny Picot6.5 lb Brie – triple crème, whole wheelN/A
Reny Picot6.5 lb Brie-dbl crème w/Peppercorn, whole wheelN/A
Reny Picot6.5 lb Camembert – double crème, whole wheelN/A
Reny Picot7 oz Brie – double crème w/Herbs, wedges, foil wrapped033421022429
Reny Picot7 oz Brie – double crème, rounds no cupsN/A
Reny Picot7 oz Brie – double crème, wedges, foil wrapped033421022417
Reny Picot8 oz Brie – dbl crème w/Peppercorn, wedges, saran wrappedN/A
Reny Picot8 oz Brie – dbl crème, wedges, saran wrap RWN/A
Reny Picot8 oz Brie – double crème w/Herbs, wedges, saran wrappedN/A
Reny Picot8 oz Brie – double crème, rounds033421022863
Reny Picot8 oz Brie – double crème, slicing rectangle033421024300
Reny Picot8 oz Brie – double crème, wedges, saran wrappedN/A
Reny Picot8 oz Brie – triple crème, rounds – ST ROCCO133421027865
Reny Picot8 oz Brie – trpl crème, wedges, saran wrap RW – ST ROCCON/A
Reny Picot8 oz Brie – wedges, saran wrapped033421022313
Reny Picot8 oz Camembert – double crème, rounds033421022900
Reny Picot8 oz Camembert – Traditionnel double crème, rounds033421024904
ST RANDEAUX14 oz Brie – double crème, rounds636625003401
ST RANDEAUX2.2 lb Brie – double crème, whole wheelN/A
ST RANDEAUX6.5 lb Brie – double crème, whole wheel RWN/A
ST RANDEAUX8 oz Brie – dbl crème w/Herbs, wedges, saran wrpd RWN/A
ST RANDEAUX8 oz Brie – dbl crème w/Pepper, wedges, saran wrpd RWN/A
ST RANDEAUX8 oz Brie – double crème, rounds636625003418
ST RANDEAUX8 oz Brie – triple crème, rounds636625003548
ST RANDEAUX8 oz Camembert – Traditionnel, rounds636625003425
TASTE OF INSPIRATION8 oz Brie – rounds725439802550
TASTE OF INSPIRATION8 oz Brie – triple crème, rounds725439999731
TASTE OF INSPIRATION8 oz Brie – w/Herb center layer, rounds725439802567
TASTE OF INSPIRATION8 oz Brie – wedges, saran wrappedN/A
TRADER JOE8 oz Trader Joe Slicing00505086

Consumers who have purchased the stated Brie and Camembert products are urged not to consume it and discard the product. FDA recommends in these cases that anyone who purchased or received any recalled products to use extra vigilance in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with these products to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Listeria can survive in refrigerated temperatures and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces.

Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Listeria outbreaks. The Listeria lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Listeria and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $800 million for clients.  Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our Listeria lawyers have litigated Listeria cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of foods, such as lettuce, polony, deli meat, cantaloupe, cheese, celery and milk.   

If you or a family member became ill with a Listeria infection after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Listeria attorneys for a free case evaluation.