Cheese is one of our favorite foods here at Consumerist, but its creamy deliciousness doesn’t make it immune to some very unappetizing foodborne pathogens. Grassfields Cheese, a small producer in Michigan, has announced a recall of all cheeses produced between December 2015 and August 2016 because they have been linked to E. coli infections.

The products were linked to cases of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, a foodborne illness that at best causes abdominal cramping, diarrhea (often bloody, which is scary) and vomiting. A serious complication of E. coli is hemolytic uremic syndrome, which affects the blood and kidneys, and often happens in infected children, elderly people, or people with compromised immune systems. Investigators discovered the potential contamination while tracing the cause of seven cases of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli.

The company sells its own cheese locally and online, but Whole Foods also carries it in certain states. Shoppers in Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin may have purchased the cheese in their local stores, though not all Whole Foods locations carry it.

The affected flavors of Grassfields cheeses were Gouda, Onion ‘n Garlic, Country Dill, Leyden, Edam, Lamont Cheddar, Fait Gras, and Polkton Corners. The FDA didn’t make packaging photos available, but the cheeses came in clear plastic wrap, with PLU codes from 206151 to 0206159 inclusive, and sell by dates up through 9/2/16.

Grassfields Cheese Recall Affects Select Whole Foods Market Locations; Grocer Recalls Product from Cheese Departments [FDA]
Grassfields Cheese [Facebook]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.