Finished the keynote speech at IAFP last night and had time to start blogging this morning.
SW Wisc Dairy Goat Products Coop of Mt Sterling, Wisc is recalling Raw Milk Mild Cheddar Cheese Lot Code 103-114 because it may be contaminated with Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O111:H8 bacteria. This is one of the 6 STEC strains that have been deemed to be of serious health concern as it can cause diarrheal illness, often with bloody stools, and may lead to more severe complications like Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). HUS is most likely to occur in young children, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals and can lead to severe kidney damage and even death.
This product was distributed in the Midwest and Southwest regions of the US. This product was sent through distributorship in Wisconsin and Georgia. From these two states this product was then sent to retail stores in the Midwest and Southwest.
This product was packed as an 8oz cryovac retail size piece with the code 103-114 on a sticker attached to the side of the cheese. This product is all white in appearance and has a front and back separate label. The back label is a black and white nutrition and ingredient label and the front label is a yellow and blue colored label with the Mt Sterling Coop Creamery brand name. “No illnesses have been reported to date.”
The recall was initiated after a case of two five pound loafs in the original packaging was collected on 7-8—14 from an offsite warehouse. The product sample tested positive for Shiga toxin 1and was contaminated with E. coli O111:H8.