Okanagan cheese recalled

Photo: Contributed - Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Four cheese products sold by Okanagan's Choice Cheese brand have been recalled for possible Listeria contamination.

Update -- March 18

More cheese products are being recalled due to a possible Listeria outbreak.

Castle Cheese Inc. is recalling Meddo Belle and Okanagan's Choice Cheese brands shredded cheese products that have been sold in BC and Alberta, and may have also been distributed in other provinces.

• Meddo Belle Crumbled Feta Cheese: Best Before Dec. 13, 2014
• Okanagan's Choice Cheese Chipped Parmesan Cheese: Best Before Dec. 31, 2014
• Okanagan's Choice Cheese Shredded Parmesan Cheese: Best Before Dec. 31, 2014

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is recalling an assortment of cheeses made in the Okanagan due to the possibility of Listeria contamination.

Okanagan's Choice Cheese brand shredded cheese products, which are made by Castle Cheese in Lumby, have been recalled in BC, Alberta and Manitoba.

There are four products affected by this recall:

• Nacho Blend – Cheddar, Mozzarella Shredded Cheese
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• Shredded Parmesan Cheese

All products have a best before date of either January 13 or 20, 2015.

Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick. Symptoms can include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache and neck stiffness.

Pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, the infection can lead to premature delivery, infection of the newborn or even stillbirth. In severe cases of illness, people may die.

The recall was triggered by the company itself and there have been no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of these products.

An E. coli scare last year affected another Okanagan cheese company based in Salmon Arm.