Whole Foods recalls cheese due to possible contamination with E. coli

Wednesday, August 17, 2016 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer
Tags: Whole Foods, E.coli, cheese recall

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(NaturalNews) The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an announcement that Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods Market is recalling stocks of organic cheese from its stores in the Midwest and South, due to possible contamination with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), a bacteria that may cause serious illness in humans.

The Grassfields Cheese LLC products being pulled from stores include cut varieties of Gouda, Onion 'n Garlic, Country Dill, Leyden, Edam, Lamont Cheddar, Fait Gras and Polkton Corners, packaged in clear plastic wrap with scale labels. The affected lots include cheeses with PLU codes ranging from 0206151 to 0206159, and with "sell by" dates up through 9/2/2016.

An ongoing investigation of seven reported cases of human illness between March and July of 2016 was traced back to Grassfields Cheese products sold in the states of Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development's Geagley Laboratory first identified the STEC bacteria in cheese samples collected by MDARD food and dairy inspectors. Customers who purchased any Grassfields Cheese products matching the possible contamination criteria are urged to return them to Whole Foods Market for a full refund.

The FDA warns that while E. coli infection symptoms vary from person to person, with most people recovering in between five and seven days, some cases are severe and even life-threatening. Common symptoms include stomach cramps, diarrhea (oftentimes bloody), vomiting and fever. And between 5–10 percent of E. coli cases develop a potentially life-threatening complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is marked by symptoms of chronic fatigue, a loss of pink color in the cheeks and inside the lower eyelids, and decreased frequency of urination.

Anyone with questions about the recall is encouraged to contact Grassfields Cheese at 616-997-8251 Monday – Friday, 8am – 5pm EST, or at [email protected].

Bacteria in your food is dangerous, but so are heavy metals and other contaminants not tested for by the FDA

Because of the nature of large-scale food production systems contamination is inevitable, as are the product recalls that follow. The Guidance & Regulation requirements set forth by the FDA aim to minimize the risks, but they're not always effective. Just since June 17, there have been 77 recalls for both food and drugs due to safety issues, illustrating the need for more supply-line testing and quality control.

At the Natural News Forensic Food Lab, we're doing our part on the front end to hold food manufacturers accountable for the contents and safety of their products. Our work looking at the issue of heavy metals, for instance, has uncovered some shocking truths that even the FDA won't touch.

This lab is equipped with state-of-the-art, ISO 17025-compliant equipment and ICP-MS instrumentation capable of detecting even trace amounts of some of the worst heavy metal offenders, including aluminum, arsenic, copper, cesium, cadmium, mercury, lead and uranium.

Lab results for popular consumer brands like Nature's Path, Food for Life, Kellogg's, Post, Frito-Lay, Blue Diamond and more are available here.

Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, is now also offering a heavy metals testing kit available through CWC Labs that makes it easier than ever to test your favorite foods, dietary supplements, protein powders and more in the comfort of your own home.

You can purchase the CWC Labs Heavy Metals Analysis testing kit through the Health Ranger Store.

Since even U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) certified-organic products aren't tested for heavy metals contamination, it's up to you to look into this for your own safety and that of your family.

Sources for this article include:

FDA.gov

FDA.gov