Popular Cheese Recalled Due to 'Life-Threatening Allergic Reaction' - Newsweek
Whole Foods Market on Friday recalled Cabricharme cheese sold in seven states after discovering it contained undeclared egg lysozyme, a protein derived from egg whites.
Cabricharme is a soft, creamy Belgian goat cheese. Produced from raw goat's milk and aged for several months, it has a rich texture and a mild flavor.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned that people with egg allergies or severe egg sensitivities could face a serious or potentially "life-threatening allergic reaction" if they consume the product. Food allergy labeling is critical because consumers often rely on package information to identify ingredients that could trigger severe reactions.
Shoppers who purchased the recalled cheese in affected states are being urged to dispose of it and seek a refund.
Newsweek contacted Amazon, who bought Whole Foods in 2017, on Sunday for comment.
Whole Foods Market of Austin, Texas, has issued an allergy alert for Fromagerie Coop de Mean Cabricharme cheese after learning the product contains undeclared egg lysozyme. Egg lysozyme is an egg white protein that can pose a health risk to people with egg allergies.
According to the company's recall notice published by the FDA on September 11, the cheese was sold in specialty cheese departments at 18 Whole Foods Market stores in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island.
Affected products were cut and wrapped in stores and sold by the pound under Whole Foods Market scale labels.
Consumers can identify affected items by checking the PLU code on the store label. The FDA notice says products with best-by dates up to and including October 7, 2026, are included in the recall.
Whole Foods said the labeling problem was identified by a store team member. Following the discovery, the company removed affected products from store shelves.
No illnesses or allergic reactions linked to the recalled cheese had been reported as of the recall announcement.
Customers who purchased the recalled cheese do not need to return it to a store. Instead, Whole Foods is advising consumers to get rid of the product. Anyone with a valid receipt can obtain a full refund from the place of purchase.
Consumers with additional questions may call the company at 1-844-936-8255 between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Central Time, Monday-Friday, or 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. CT, Saturday-Sunday.
Friday's recall follows another recent Whole Foods food safety action announced in August.
At the time, the company recalled dozens of prepared foods, including salsa, guacamole and pico de gallo products sold in 12 states because they contained jalapeΓ±o peppers linked to a broader salmonella outbreak. Federal health officials reported 345 illnesses across 27 states in connection with that outbreak, although no illnesses were tied to the recalled Whole Foods products.
That recall involved products sold in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky and Ohio.
Contact Newsweek editor for this story: Anthony Murray.
