In the wake of the cantaloupe Listeria tragedy, Fair Oaks Dairy Products, a northwest Indiana cheesemaker, this week issued a voluntary recall of blue cheese produced on or after September 25, 2011.  The reason:  the cheese has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, the culprit in the cantaloupe Listeria outbreak that has sickened 123 and killed 25 nationally..

Fair Oaks said that a small quantity of the cheese was sold at its Fair Oaks Dairy store in Northwest Indiana, central Indiana and to several other stores through distributers, on and after September 25. The product is in 1/3 to 1/2 lbs packages in a royal blue foil with the label “Fair Oaks Royal Blue Cheese.”

Fair Oaks discovered the issue during its own testing of its products by an independent laboratory. Laboratory testing has confirmed that the blue cheese contained Listeria monocytogenes. Fair Oaks has contacted the FDA and issued the recall to consumers in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. No illnesses have been reported to date.

The quantity of blue cheese involved in the recall is less than 20 pounds and the company estimates less than twenty pounds are held by consumers. Consumers who have purchased this brand on the dates in question should return the product to the stores where they were purchased to receive a refund. Recall notices have already been sent to retail outlets that received this product.