GIBSON COUNTY Tenn — Routine testing by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture has discovered a strain of Listeria in a sample of Amish Classic Colby deli horn cheese taken from a Gibson County store.
On January 30, TDA took a sample of the Amish Classic Colby from a store in Trenton, Tenn. Tests conducted in the state lab confirmed the food was contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
According to State officials, the Food and Drug Administration is investigating the source and extent of the contamination and determining how many other retailers received these batches of cheese.
Tennessee Department of Agriculture is urging anyone who purchased any of the items not to consume them.
Listeria monocytogenes is unlike many other germs because it can grow in a cold environment. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women and may be fatal for individuals with weakened immune systems. Cooking and pasteurization are two methods to eliminate the bacteria from food.
No illnesses have been reported in Tennessee. The investigation is ongoing.
