No illnesses were reported after the Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Oprecalled fewer than 900 pounds of cheese, according to a press release from the U.S. Food and Drug Agency Aug. 18.
No illnesses were reported after the Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op recalled fewer than 900 pounds of cheese, according to a press release from the U.S. Food and Drug Agency Aug. 18.
The company, in Middlefield, initiated the recall after testing revealed listeria monocytogenes in cheese produced on June 16 and 24 and July 16, according to the release.
Those batches were distributed in the state of Ohio between July 14 and Aug. 7, 2025, then shipped to manufacturers and distributors to be sold in retail stores.
The FDA reported listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal inections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems.
Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
Any customers with this product in their possession should dispose of it or return it to the retail location during normal business hours for a refund, officials said in the release.
The FDA listed 246.5 pounds of 100% grass-fed pepper jack cheese, 640 pounds of Monterey jack cheese and 2.5 pounds of horseradish-flavored cheese were found to be contaminated. Some of the 8-ounce packages of 100% grass fed pepper jack cheese were packaged under the name of Copia Collective.
The company suspended production while it investigated the source of the contamination, which was determined to be from environmental contamination that migrated to food-contact areas of the production process.
There have been no reports of illness to date associated with consumption of these products, the release stated, adding when a company announces a recall, market withdrawal, or safety alert, the FDA posts the company’s announcement as a public service.
The original notice reported a much higher number of pounds of cheese had been recalled, Brian Kellerman, chief quality and safety officer of Kellerman Consulting of Columbus, said Aug. 14.
When the FDA was notified, they corrected the poundage and re-issued the notice, he said, adding he works with food production facilities to implement safety programs, but the co-op asked him to serve as spokesperson because of the complications involving computers.
The co-op is primarily owned and operated by members of the Amish community in the Middlefield area.
“They felt they needed extra help. It was an emergency situation,” Kellerman said, noting listeria is often found in processing facilities, especially during hot weather.
“Most factories in America are monitoring for this,” he said. “It can spread around pretty fast. The (Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op) facility has never had this happen before.”
Once the tests came back positive, the facility was fully remediated and all affected cheese was tracked down, Kellerman said.
The packages subject to recall were sold with the following labels:
- Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op 100% grass-fed pepper jack cheese, 8 oz. packages, 5-pound loaves and 40-pound loaves with lot code 251661;
- Copia Collective 100% grass-fed pepper jack cheese, 8-ounce packages with lot code 251661;
- Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op horseradish flavored cheese, 8-ounce packages with lot code 2524061;
- Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op Monterey jack cheese, 8-ounce packages and 5-pound blocks with lot code 251672 and 40-pound blocks with dates coded as 7-16-25B;
- Farmers cheese 8-ounce packages and 5-pound blocks with lot code 251672 and 40-pound blocks with dates coded as 7-16-25B.
Customers can find the lot codes on 8-ounce packets and 5-pound loaves located on the side and the date codes on 40-pound loaves.
Consumers or media with questions about the recall may contact Middlefield Original Cheese Co-Op General Manager Nevin Byler at 440-632-5567 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
