According to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), two older adults in Minnesota got sick from Listeria in early June after eating the cheese, and one later died.
The outbreak has sickened at least four others in three states, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In addition to Minnesota, the other states involved are Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. One of the cases was a pregnant woman who suffered a miscarriage.
All of those sickened were infected with the same strain of listeriosis, the FDA said.
Les Freres cheese is distributed by Crave Brothers Farmstead Classics, a Wisconsin producer. Crave Brothers cheese is sold at some of the Midwest restaurants, including Girl and the Goat in Chicago, Wild Rice in Bayfield, Wisconsin, and Butcher and the Boar in Minneapolis. In the Twin Cities, it is also sold at grocery stores such as Lunds, Byerly’s and Kowalski’s. The products were distributed nationwide through retail and foodservice outlets as well as by mail orders. The following products have been recalled:
- Les Freres (LF225 2/2.5#) with a make date of 7-1-13 or prior, packaged in white plastic with a green and gold label.
- Petit Frere (PF88 8/8 oz.) with a make date of 7-1-13 or prior, packaged in small round wooden boxes.
- Petit Frere with Truffles (PF88T 8/8 oz.) with a make date of 7-1-13 or prior, packaged in small round wooden boxes.