Highest risk U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Middlefield Original Cheese Co-op/Copia Collective/Farmers Cheese Cheese recall: Potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes

Recall published 1+ years ago

Potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes

Middlefield Original Cheese Co-op/Copia Collective/Farmers Cheese Dairy — recalled dairyMiddlefield Original Cheese Co-op/Copia Collective/Farmers Cheese Dairy — recalled dairy (photo 2)Middlefield Original Cheese Co-op/Copia Collective/Farmers Cheese Dairy — recalled dairy (photo 3)Middlefield Original Cheese Co-op/Copia Collective/Farmers Cheese Dairy — recalled dairy (photo 4)
4 photos published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration with the recall notice.

The hazard: Listeria contamination

Listeria is the reason this product was pulled, and it is the one food hazard where "it is still in date and it smells fine" tells you nothing at all.

What the notice says: Middlefield, OH 8/15/25 - The Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op facility in Middlefield, OH is recalling 246.5 Lbs. of 100% Grass-fed Pepper Jack Cheese, sold in 8 oz. packages, 5 lb. loaves and 40 lb. loaves, 2.5 Lbs. of Horseradish Flavored Cheese, sold in 8 oz. packages, 640 Lbs. of Monterey Jack Cheese sold in 8 oz. packages, 5 lb. loaves and 40 lb. loaves because of potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes , an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

Why it matters: Listeria monocytogenes is unusual among foodborne bacteria because it keeps growing at refrigerator temperature. A contaminated pack does not become safer for sitting in the cold, and it will look, smell and taste completely normal.

Symptoms and when to call a doctor

Listeriosis is mild or silent in most healthy adults, but it is serious for pregnant people, newborns, adults over 65 and anyone whose immune system is suppressed. The CDC describes intestinal illness as diarrhoea and vomiting, and invasive illness as fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance or convulsions. In pregnancy it can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or infection in the newborn even when the parent feels only mildly unwell. Symptoms can start within a day or not appear for weeks, so tell any doctor you see that you ate a recalled product and give them the date.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you feel unwell, a clinician who can see you is the only person able to judge your case.

Recall details

Published
August 18, 2025
Risk level
Highest risk
Issued by
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Brand
Middlefield Original Cheese Co-op/Copia Collective/Farmers Cheese
Product type
Dairy
Distribution
Ohio
Reports of harm
There have been no reports of illness to date associated with consumption of these products.

Products covered by this recall

Cheese

What the company announced

“This is a correction to the company’s press release, previously issued on August 18, 2025, to identify the correct products included in the recall.”

Middlefield, OH 8/15/25 - The Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op facility in Middlefield, OH is recalling 246.5 Lbs. of 100% Grass-fed Pepper Jack Cheese, sold in 8 oz. packages, 5 lb. loaves and 40 lb. loaves, 2.5 Lbs. of Horseradish Flavored Cheese, sold in 8 oz. packages, 640 Lbs. of Monterey Jack Cheese sold in 8 oz. packages, 5 lb. loaves and 40 lb. loaves because of potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes , an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

The recalled products were produced on June 16, 2025, June 24, 2025, and July 16th, and distributed in the state of Ohio between July 14, 2025 and August 7, 2025. Products were shipped to manufacturers and distributors, and sold in retail stores.

The packages subject to recall were sold with the following labels:

Middlefield Original Cheese Co-op 100% Grass-Fed Pepper Jack Cheese, 8 oz. packages, 5 Lb. loaves, and 40 Lb. loaves with Lot Code 251661

Copia Collective 100% Grass-Fed Pepper Jack Cheese, 8 oz. packages with Lot Code 251661

Middlefield Original Cheese Co-op Horseradish Flavored Cheese, 8 oz. packages with Lot Code 2524061

Middlefield Original Cheese Co-op Monterey Jack Cheese, 8 oz. packages and 5 lb blocks with Lot Code 251672 and 40 lb. blocks with dates Coded as 7-16-25B

Farmers Cheese 8 oz. packages and 5 lb blocks with Lot Code 251672 and 40 lb. blocks with dates Coded as 7-16-25B

Customers can find the lot codes on 8 oz. packets and 5 lb. loaves located on the side.

Customers can find date codes on 40 Lb. loaves.

The recall was initiated after product testing by the company revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in the products. Production was suspended while the company investigated the source of the contamination which was determined to be from environmental contamination that migrated to food-contact areas of the production process. There have been no reports of illness to date associated with consumption of these products.

Any customers with this product in their possession should dispose of it or return it to the retail location during normal business hours for a refund. Consumers or media with questions about the recall may contact the Middlefield Original Cheese Co-op General Manager, Nevin Byler, at 440-632-5567 Monday through Friday 8 AM to 4 PM EST.

Reproduced from the company announcement posted on fda.gov. Links and contact forms in the original are not repeated here; the official notice below has them.

Check your product

The notice names 10 codes you can read straight off the package. Type the one printed on yours and the list below narrows to it.

Lot or batch code

Usually ink-stamped near the seam, the cap or the bottom of the pack.

  • 251661
  • 2524061
  • 251672

Model or item number

On the rating label, the box or the instruction sheet.

  • June 24, 2025

Package size

Match the net weight or the piece count on the front of the pack.

  • 246.5 Lbs
  • 8 oz
  • 5 lb
  • 40 lb
  • 2.5 Lbs
  • 640 Lbs

Codes are lifted verbatim from the FDA — Company recall announcements notice. A code that is missing here may still be covered — the official notice is the complete list.

What to do about Listeria

Middlefield Original Cheese Co-op/Copia Collective/Farmers Cheese — Listeria is the reason this product was pulled, and it is the one food hazard where "it is still in date and it smells fine" tells you nothing at all.

  1. Do not eat it and do not open a sealed pack to inspect it — opening it only spreads the bacteria around your kitchen.
  2. Throw it out in a sealed bag, or return it to the store. Either is accepted; what matters is that nobody else eats it.
  3. Wash and then sanitise anything the food touched: the fridge shelf and drawer, chopping boards, knives, counters and your hands. Listeria colonises cold surfaces and can survive there after the food is gone.
  4. If anyone in the household is pregnant, over 65 or immunocompromised, call a clinician for advice even if nobody feels ill. That conversation is quick and it is the whole point of a Listeria recall.

How to get your money back

Food recalls carry a full refund, and in the United States you usually do not need the receipt or the packaging.

  • Take the product, or your photo of the label, to the customer service desk of the store where you bought it. Nearly every national grocer refunds recalled food on the spot.
  • Bought it online? Open the order in your account and use the refund option; marketplace sellers are required to honour a federal recall.
  • If the store refuses, contact the recalling company using the details on this page. The firm, not the shop, carries the cost of a recall.
  • If you have a loyalty card, the retailer can look the purchase up in your history — Kroger, Costco and Walmart all do this routinely.

Remedy named in the notice: Any customers with this product in their possession should dispose of it or return it to the retail location during normal business hours for a refund.

Company contact: Middlefield Original Cheese Co-op — Consumers: Middlefield Original Cheese Co-op General Manager, Nevin Byler, 440-632-5567

The official notice

This page summarises a notice published by U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The agency notice is the authoritative version — read it before you act, and treat it as the final word if anything here looks different.

Open the FDA — Company recall announcements record U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalls

Questions people ask about this recall

Why was Middlefield Original Cheese Co-op/Copia Collective/Farmers… recalled?

Potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes Middlefield, OH 8/15/25 - The Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op facility in Middlefield, OH is recalling 246.5 Lbs. of 100% Grass-fed Pepper Jack Cheese, sold in 8 oz. packages, 5 lb. loaves and 40 lb. loaves, 2.5 Lbs. of Horseradish Flavored Cheese, sold in 8 oz. packages, 640 Lbs. of Monterey Jack Cheese sold in 8 oz. packages, 5 lb. loaves and 40 lb. loaves because of potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes , an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and…

How do I know if I have the recalled product?

Match the codes printed on your package against the notice: lot code 251661, 2524061, 251672; model number June 24, 2025. If the code on your package is not on that list, your unit is outside the recall.

What should I do with it right now?

Do not eat it and do not open a sealed pack to inspect it — opening it only spreads the bacteria around your kitchen.

Can I get my money back?

The notice says: Any customers with this product in their possession should dispose of it or return it to the retail location during normal business hours for a refund.

Which states were affected?

The notice lists Ohio.

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