3 Cheese Recalls Now Affect Customers in 9 States

Eating cheese could be linked to having bad dreams, found recent research, but dairy lovers may experience a different type of nightmare thanks to reports of “rodent activity” or potential foodborne illnesses connected to several cheese products this week.

Read on for details on three separate recalls announced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including which retailers are involved and where the cheeses were available for purchase.

“Presence of rodents” linked to Massachusetts recall

On Tuesday, August 12, the FDA reported that all Spanish cheese (quesito Colombiano) had been recalled by Quesito El Establo of Salem, New Hampshire. The recall affects 800 units, according to a follow-up enforcement report released on Friday, August 15.

The cheese, reportedly only distributed Hispanic/Latino retail stores in the state of Massachusetts, was pulled from shelves for a rather icky reason: An FDA inspection discovered “insanitary conditions,” further described as “the presence of rodent, rodent activity, and other insanitary conditions during the manufacturing and storage process.”

Though no illnesses have yet been reported, the presence of rodents could result in multiple health concerns, warns the FDA. Specifically, the agency mentions the potential presence of Salmonella, a type of bacteria that can cause symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, vomiting, or abdominal pain. It can also cause serious or even fatal infections in some, including young children, pregnant people, or those with weakened immune systems.

All recalled products were reportedly stamped on the label with the code AUG 22 2025 or earlier, per the FDA’s initial report. The cheese is also described as being “packaged wrapped in plastic and placed in Ziploc bags.”

Additional product details include:

• Quesito El Establo brand Spanish Cheese QUESITO COLOMBIANO
• Ingredients: Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Vitamins C and D / Ingredientes: Leche, Cuajo, Sal, Vitaminas C y D
• Net Weight: 1 pound (lb)
• Keep Refrigerated
• Code Information: All product codes

A photo of the product label—a blue sticker with the image of a cow on it—is included at the above FDA alert link.

The FDA says its investigation is ongoing and that Quesito el Establo “has ceased the production and distribution of the product.”

Customers with the recalled product on hand should not eat it. Instead, they are encouraged by the FDA to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Popular grocery chain pulls products in 9 states

August 12 also brought news from East Coast grocer Wegmans: The chain informed its customers that four cheese products sold in its stores could be contaminated with Listeria, which can lead to a Listeriosis infection.

The FDA also posted an alert on the same day, stating the cheeses were sold in “the cheese department at all Wegmans stores” in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

The potential presence of Listeria monocytogenes appears to have an international connection: the FDA states the supplier, Estancia Holdings of Cumming, Georgia, initiated the recall after being informed “by their French supplier that three shipments they received” were possibly contaminated.

The recalled cheese products were all reportedly sold between July 1 and August 25. The FDA and Wegmans provided the following product details:

• Wegmans Medium Camembert Soft Ripened Cheese, 8.8 OZ, UPC: 77890-53515 with best by dates of 7/26/25, 8/12/25, and 8/19/25
• Wegmans Assorted Cheese Flight, 1 LB, UPC: 2-77100-00000-0
• Wegmans Grilling Camembert with Tapenade & Roasted Tomatoes, 10 OZ, UPC: 2-77297-00000-0
• Wegmans Caramel Apple Pecan Topped Brie Cheese, 13 OZ, UPC: 2-77645-00000-3

Product images were also included in the FDA’s link.

Wegmans reportedly reached out directly, via automated phone calls, to customers who are part of their Shoppers Club membership and had purchased the cheese products. If you have any of the recalled cheeses on hand, the FDA says not to eat it and return it to a Wegmans service desk for a full refund.

More Listeria concerns in New York

In a late Thursday report, the FDA announced a recall involving 12 cases of Brie Royal Faucon (1 kg) due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination concerns. Though the recall was initiated by Fromi USA of New York—described on its website as having “an international reputation as a leading provider of cheese specialities”—the cheese was distributed to two Cheese Plate Brooklyn locations: Cheese Plate Brooklyn – Park Slope LLC and Cheese Plate Brooklyn : Carroll Gardens. From there, the cheese was cut and available for customers to buy between the dates of July 24 and August 13.

The potential presence of Listeria was reportedly first flagged by health authorities in another country, who then notified the “foreign manufacturer.” The FDA does not elaborate on where the cheese was manufactured. “No illnesses have been reported to date related to the consumption of this product within the United States,” reads the report.

The Brie Royal Faucon cheese, made from pasteurized cow’s milk, came in a wooden box and was packed as two units per case. Says the FDA: “Lot number:615 appears on both the wooden box of each cheese and the case.”

Anyone who purchased the cheese as a whole or in cut portions is instructed to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.

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