FDA warns Pa. and NY consumers of tainted cheese

[radfringe]

Source: pocono record

NEW YORK (AP) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to eat two cheeses made by a New York City company due to possible bacterial contamination.

Peregrina Cheese Corp. has recalled its "Queso Fresco Fresh Cheese" Mexican-style soft cheese and "Queso Cotija Molido" Mexican-style grated cheese.

The soft cheese is in a 14-ounce foil wrapped package marked with lot number 4469 or 4477. The grated cheese is in 15-ounce clear plastic bags that are marked with plant number 36-1388.

The agency says samples of the cheeses were tested and found to be contaminated with Listeria bacteria, which can cause illnesses. The cheeses were distributed in New York City and to stores in Scranton and Hazelton, Pennsylvania, in early February. No illnesses have been reported.

Read more: http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090310/NEWS/90310018

[aquart]

1. Thanks. They sell it across the street in Associated.

[shadowknows69]

2. We might as well just go right to Soylent Green already.

Nothing else is safe to eat anymore. Maybe people will be more nutritious?

[radfringe]

3. people are full of drugs

steroids, hormones and who know what else from all the food we've been eating...

[Nikia]

5. "Mexican" cheese is at risk for this problem

It has to do with the cheeses ecology. Brie and other soft cheeses are at risk too.
Cheddar and other harder cheeses have an ecology contradictory to listeria. I'm not sure if these cheeses have ever been contaminated with listeria, but if they were, there would be other things wrong with the cheese that probably would be easily identifiable.
If you want to be really safe, go with pasteurized processed cheese. Everything gets killed and few things grow on in it even after it is exposed to the air except typical molds eventually.

[rug]

4. Fortunately Velveeta has no bacteria as it is inorganic.

[Nikia]

6. As with all pasteurized process cheese (and foods, product, spreads)

Everything gets killed during manufacturing and packaged while still hot. Cheddar and colby, the typical cheese base to such products, do not grow listeria.