Hy-Vee voluntarily recalling Maytag blue cheese

Hy-Vee Inc. on Thursday said it is voluntarily recalling Maytag Raw Milk Blue Cheese across its eight-state region due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

The recalled cheese was sold in whole wheels and cuts, and repackaged in foil or clear plastic wrap with scale labels in various weights. Blue cheese crumbles also were sold in plastic containers.

All product was labeled as 'Maytag Blue Raw Milk,” 'Maytag Blue” or 'Maytag Iowa Blue Cheese” and with PLU numbers beginning with 854089001 and with 'use by” dates between Jan. 20, 2016, and May 3, 2016.

The product was sold from cheese cases in all of Hy-Vee's 240 stores in Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin, between Nov. 20, 2015, and March 2, 2016.

Hy-Vee is recalling all sizes and forms (wheels, wedges and crumbles) of Maytag Blue Cheese products from all of its stores. The West Des Moines-based company said the potential for contamination was discovered after state testing revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in two lots of product.

Maytag Dairy Farms has voluntarily suspended production and distribution while the company collaborates with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the state to determine the cause of the problem.

Customers who purchased the product should discard it or return it to their local Hy-Vee store for a full refund.

Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

Although healthy people may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria monocytogenes infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

To date, no illnesses have been reported in connection with the recalled cheese.