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By Jasmine Laws
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Face Rock Creamery voluntarily recalled two lots of its "Vampire Slayer Garlic Cheddar Curds" from Trader Joe's stores in northern California and northern Nevada this week after routine product tests revealed possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.
The company, headquartered in Bandon, Oregon, recalled its product on June 20 but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has yet to classify the recall. As of the latest update, no consumers have reported any illnesses linked to the recalled product.
Face Rock Creamery told Newsweek: "This is the first recall in our company's history, and we took immediate action out of an abundance of caution."
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Why It Matters
Listeria monocytogenes infection, or listeriosis, may lead to high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
The bacterium poses a greater risk to young children, elderly people, those with compromised immune systems, and pregnant women, who may experience miscarriages or stillbirths if infected.
The Cleveland Clinic has identified soft cheeses, deli meats and unpasteurized dairy products as some of the foods that are more likely to be contaminated with listeria.
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What To Know
The issue was discovered during routine sampling, which detected Listeria monocytogenes in finished product samples.
Face Rock Creamery notified the FDA and the Oregon Department of Agriculture and is continuing to work to identify the source of the contamination.
The affected product, "Vampire Slayer Garlic Cheddar Curds," were sold in 6-ounce sealed plastic cups with a lid and have a "Use By" date of August 29, 2025.
The product has a Universal Product Code of 8 51222 00528 7 and lot numbers 20250519VS01 and 20250519VS02.
The product was distributed at Trader Joe's stores in northern California (including locations in Monterey, Fresno, and all areas north) and northern Nevada (specifically in Carson City, Reno and Sparks).
What People Are Saying
Face Rock Creamery told Newsweek: "This is the first recall in our company's history, and we took immediate action out of an abundance of caution. No illnesses have been reported to date. We are working closely with Trader Joe's, the FDA, and the Oregon Department of Agriculture to ensure all affected product is removed from shelves and accounted for. We are also using this opportunity to further evaluate and strengthen our food safety programs to ensure we continue to meet the highest industry standards. We appreciate the trust our customers place in us and remain committed to transparency and safety."
Cangliang Shen, professor of agriculture and food systems at West Virginia University, told Newsweek: "Cheese provides a perfect environment with an appropriate amount of salt, fat, sugar, protein for contamination with Listeria, also the low acid pH favor listeria to grow. Cheese also has perfect water activity and moisture amount for listeria to survive. If cheese made from under pasteurized milk then it's more easy to become contaminated with listeria."
He added: "If cheese has been contaminated with listeria then eating one slice piece. like 10 grams, could result in infection. First reaction of listeria contamination could be fever, vomiting, diarrhea, cramping."
Haley F. Oliver, a professor of food science at Purdue University, told Newsweek: "Listeria monocytogenes is a common microorganism that can be found in the natural environment, for example in soil. There are many factors that determine if someone gets listeriosis—a Listeria infection. In most instances, an immunocompromised person, so young, old, pregnant, or otherwise immunocompromised, must eat contaminated food. The number of bacteria resulting in infection and the amount of time before illness varies considerably. Symptoms vary among people, but can include fever, flu-like symptoms, headache, stiff neck, confusion, and loss of balance."
Mary O'Riordan, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Michigan Medical School, told Newsweek: "Listeria has an unusual capacity to grow at refrigerated temperatures. Although the bacterium can contaminate many types of food, cheeses or deli meats that are kept in cold storage for long periods in stores or at home, are a place where Listeria can keep growing."
She added: "Early symptoms of Listeria infection look similar to other common foodborne infections, including fever, diarrhea and vomiting, so it's often not diagnosed right away. Unfortunately, sometimes Listeria can spread into the brain and cause more serious illness, like meningitis. In those cases, if people experience headache, stiff neck or confusion, they should seek urgent medical attention."
Cleveland Clinic says on its website: "Listeria is a bacterial infection that's more dangerous during pregnancy. It can cause pregnancy loss, lifelong illness in your child and newborn death. It causes flu-like and digestive symptoms. Avoiding foods like deli meats, soft cheeses and unpasteurized milk can reduce your risk."
What Happens Next
Anyone who purchased the affected product is strongly advised to refrain from consuming it and to return the product to the original point of purchase for a full refund.
Consumer questions can be directed to Face Rock Creamery's Customer Care team at info@facerockcreamery.com during regular business hours 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST.
Update 06/23/25, 06:57 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Cangliang Shen.
Update 06/23/25, 11:55 a.m. and 12:17 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Haley F. Oliver, Mary O'Riordan and Face Rock Creamery.
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