subject: Food Safety Alert! Gouda Cheese May Be the Cause of E. coli Outbreak [print this page] Food Safety Alert! Gouda Cheese May Be the Cause of E. coli Outbreak
The FDA, CDC, and Costco Wholesale Corp. are warning consumers to avoid Bravo Farms Dutch Style Gouda Cheese because it may be related to an outbreak of E.coli infections. This is an alert, not a recallat least not yet. So far, the cheese has been preliminarily linked to the outbreak, but the connection has not been confirmed. Perhaps the product is still being tested, and so far no positive results have been detected, explained food scientist Dr. Catherine Cutter.
The Gouda cheese was offered for sale and at cheese sampling events at Costco from October 5 November 1 in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and the San Diego, California area from October 5 November 1. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has reported 25 cases of people sickened by E. coli in these five states during the same time period. Nine of them required hospitalization. E. coli symptoms include stomach cramps, diarrhea, and dehydration and sometimes require medical intervention.
Costco has removed the remaining Bravo Gouda cheese from its stores and has used purchase records to notify consumers about the alert. Consumers who have any of this product in their homes can return the cheese to the store for a refund.
