‘Do not consume’: Cheese recalled in Canada over possible bacteria contamination

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has expanded its recall for Mount Becher Buffalo Medium Cheese on July 21, 2025. (Canadian Food Inspection Agency)

Canadian consumers are being warned to not eat a cheese product that may be contaminated with the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has expanded its recall for Mount Becher Buffalo Medium Cheese to include various sizes sold in British Columbia with the batch number 854 179.

On Thursday, the recall was updated to include the batch number 854 144.

The CFIA previously posted the advisory on June 24 about a 150-gram product that was distributed in Ontario with a best before date of Oct. 2, 2025, and the batch number 854 263.

“Do not consume, use, sell, serve, or distribute recalled products,” the CFIA stated in its latest notice about the product posted online Monday.

“Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the location where they were purchased.”

How serious is the recall?

Although listeria infection is rare, it’s serious, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CFIA has designated the updated recall of Mount Becher Buffalo Medium Cheese at Class 1, the highest risk level that could lead to “serious health problems or death.”

“The CFIA is verifying that industry is removing recalled products from the marketplace,” according to the notice.

The CFIA said its test results triggered the recall. It is also conducting a food safety investigation, which it said may lead to more recalls. No illnesses linked to eating this product were reported as of Monday, it added.

Advice for consumers

The CFIA recommends consumers who become ill from eating the cheese to see their health-care provider. Symptoms include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache and neck stiffness, it added.

“Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell spoiled but can still make you sick,” according to the notice.

Those most at risk are pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, the notice stated.

“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,” the CFIA wrote. “In severe cases of illness, people may die.”