To:               Health Commissioners, Environmental Health Directors, Nursing Directors, ODA Food Safety Specialist, and Other Interested Parties

Subject:        Recall Announcement  (ODA/ODH) 2000 - 43

Date:            December 14, 2000

The following statement was released by Schneider Cheese Inc., of Waldo, Wis., to notify customers about a voluntary product recall:

“We are voluntarily recalling 11,511 pounds of string cheese under the names Schneider Cheese, Midwest Pride and Gibbsville, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.  Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as a high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

“The product was distributed through retail stores in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Michigan, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota.  The products are: Schneider Cheese 8 oz. and 16 oz. String Cheese (UPC 30257 00003 and UPC 30257 00009) and Midwest Pride 16 oz. String Cheese (UPC 42158 30038), both of which have a May 5, 2001 expiration date, and Gibbsville String Cheese 16 oz. (UPC 0427611 72008) with the expired dates of November 27 through November 30, 2000.  We have received no reports of illness related to the product.

 “We have comprehensive quality control programs at our facility, and our company has a commitment to providing safe, quality food products produced under strict compliance with recognized food manufacturing practices.  Our decision to enact a voluntary recall is consistent with our commitment to consumer safety.

“The products in question have been removed from store shelves.  However, if consumers have purchased and still have the product, they should return it to the store where it was purchased for a full refund.  Consumers with questions may contact the company during its business hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST at (920) 467-3351.”