It's associated with a brand you might spot in a favorite grocer's dairy section. Here's what health officials want you to know.
When it comes to cheese, data suggests many Americans might be saying “More, please!” Research from the the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows the average adult now consumes around 42.3 pounds of cheese per year. However, certain types can come with outsized risks, and a warning from health officials in one state highlights how unpasteurized or raw cheeses—those which have not been heat-treated to ensure safety—can carry harmful bacteria.
Announced via press release on August 27 by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), the incident involves “Sierra Nevada Bella Capra Goat Cheese, Raw Milk Goat Cheddar,” a cheese produced and packaged by Sierra Nevada Cheese Company of Glenn County. The affected product was sold in six-ounce square blocks and wrapped in clear plastic. The blocks were marked “on the back” with the lot code 90423255 and a “Sell By” date of May 29, 2026.
A routine inspection, conducted on August 14 at the Sierra Nevada Cheese Company’s manufacturing and packaging facility, found the sampled raw goat milk cheddar cheese had “confirmed detection” of Listeria monocytogenes. No illnesses were reported at the time of the announcement, but Listeria is a bacteria that infects roughly 1,600 Americans per year, according to health experts.
Anyone can become infected with Listeria, but the CDFA notice states it “can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems,” as well as potentially causing “miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.”
“Aged for a minimum of 120 days, this raw milk goat cheddar possesses the flavors of fresh sweet milk along with a nutty and slightly tangy finish,” the company writes of the recalled cheese. A brief search suggests that certain Sierra Nevada cheeses may be available at well known retailers such as Whole Foods, Sprouts, and more.
Once considered a fringe food choice, raw dairy has gained ground over the last few years. However, these products are at high risk of harboring not only Listeria, but also E. coli, Salmonella, and other dangerous contaminants, experts routinely warn. The American Society for Microbiology calls pasteurization “arguably one of the greatest public health triumphs to date as its implementation has significantly reduced the transmission of foodborne illness,” and adds that the supposed health benefits of raw milk are “speculative” and unfounded. “In spite of this public health and microbiological feat, the popularity of raw (unpasteurized) milk consumption has resurged and is an ongoing public health concern in the United States,” their experts write.
Any consumers who purchased the recalled cheese are “strongly urged” to throw it away. Retailers were also instructed to remove the affected product from store shelves.
For daily wellness updates, subscribe to The Healthy by Reader’s Digest newsletter and follow The Healthy on Facebook and Instagram. Keep reading:
