Michigan Company Recalls Ackawi Cheese After State Inspection Discovers Listeria Issue

Green Cedar Dairy of Michigan is recalling Ackawi cheese after a Listeria issue was discovered on November 9, 2018 during a routine inspection by the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, Food & Dairy Division (MDARD) and by the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

From www.cheese.com, Ackawi cheese is "a Middle Eastern cheese named after the Aker region of Palestine, where it first originated. In Arabic, akkawi means "from akka". It is soft unripened brine cheese with a chewy, smooth consistency and a very mild, slightly salty flavour. The cheese is widely popular across most of the Levant where it is used as a table cheese, eaten as it or paired with a fruit."

Further, "The cheese is commonly made using pasteurized cow's milk, but can be made with goat or sheep's milk as well. It is produced on a large scale in Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and Cyprus where people typically eat it with a soft flatbread at lunch and dinner. Its texture can be compared to that of a Mozzarella, Feta or a Mizithra, as it does not melt down very well. The resistance to melting makes it an excellent frying cheese, because it holds its shape very well. The cheese can be stored for up to a year."
https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm626134.htm
Recall of Green Cedar Dairy Ackawi Cheese Bearing a Sell by Date of March 26, 2019 or Later
For Immediate Release
November 16, 2018



Contact
Consumers Hussam Harb  lant Manager at Green Cedar Dairy 313-584-4499

Announcement

Routine samples of the Green Cedar Ackawi cheese collected and tested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development tested positive for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes.

The following product has been recalled:

Green Cedar Ackawi cheese in small clear plastic shrink wrapped packaging (see images below) bearing a “sell by” date of March 26, 2019 or later. The “sell by” date is on a white sticker on the back of the product.

Consumption of food contaminated with listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious and sometimes fatal infection that primarily affects young children, older adults, and persons with weakened immune systems. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups may be affected. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeriosis can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

This issue was discovered on November 9, 2018 during a routine inspection by the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, Food & Dairy Division (MDARD) and by the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

This product was distributed at retail locations East Dearborn and Dearborn Heights Michigan. There have been no reports of adverse health impacts or reactions related to the consumption of this product to date.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

Media and consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Hussam Harb, Plant Manager at Green Cedar Dairy, at (313) 584-4499 (M-F 8-4 ET).