Grated Pecorino Romano cheese sold across twenty states is now in the Food and Drug Administration’s highest risk category after tests found Listeria monocytogenes. The upgraded Class I recall covers select Ambriola Company products sold under brands such as Ambriola, Locatelli, Member’s Mark, Pinna and Boar’s Head, which were shipped to retailers between early and late November 2025. No illnesses have been reported so far.
A Class I recall means there is a reasonable probability that eating the product could cause serious health problems or death, especially for people who are pregnant, over sixty five or living with weakened immune systems. That is why agencies are asking anyone who has grated Pecorino Romano in the fridge to check brand names, best by dates and lot codes against the FDA list and to throw out or return any affected packs.
What changed in the recall
Ambriola first announced a voluntary recall in late November 2025 after routine testing at its plant in West Caldwell in New Jersey picked up Listeria in samples of grated cheese. In the company’s words, it also pulled additional products made at the same facility “out of an abundance of caution”.
In a subsequent enforcement report dated January 6, regulators reclassified parts of the recall as Class I after reviewing the test results and the risk profile. Coverage of the enforcement action highlights grated Locatelli and Pinna Pecorino Romano sold in small cups and larger bulk bags, along with related items sold under national deli brands.
Why listeria matters long after a meal
Unlike many bacteria, Listeria can grow even in a cold refrigerator and can survive in drains and processing equipment. Public health agencies estimate that it infects more than 1,000 people in the United States each year and kills around 170 of them. Pregnant people and their babies, older adults and those with weakened immune systems face the greatest danger.
That is why officials advise people who ate the recalled cheese and then develop symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, nausea or diarrhea to talk with a health professional, especially if they are in a higher risk group.
The recall is a reminder that food safety and environmental health are closely linked, even if we only notice the problem when a favorite ingredient disappears from the grocery list or a weeknight pasta plan.
The hidden climate cost of wasted cheese
So what does a cheese recall have to do with the climate story behind our shopping cart? Every bag of cheese that ends up in a dumpster still carries the footprint of the milk, transport and packaging behind it. When recalled food is landfilled, it breaks down without oxygen and releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.
Analysis by the Environmental Protection Agency finds that food waste makes up roughly a quarter of what goes into municipal landfills but is responsible for about 58% of the methane they release.
Federal estimates suggest that more than 85% of the emissions tied to landfilled food waste come from activities before disposal, including production, transport, processing and distribution. That means preventing contamination in the first place is one of the most climate-friendly food safety strategies. When a production line runs clean, the cheese that hits your plate is safer and fewer truckloads of food end up buried in a landfill.
What shoppers can do now
If you have grated Pecorino Romano from Ambriola, Locatelli, Member’s Mark, Pinna or Boar’s Head at home, compare the brand, package size and best by date with the recall notice. If there is a match, do not taste it to check whether it seems fine. Follow the guidance to discard it or return it for a refund, wash any containers or surfaces it touched and contact a doctor if you feel unwell afterward.
At the end of the day, this recall is a reminder that safer food systems are more sustainable ones. Strong hygiene, regular testing and transparency reduce human risk and keep more food feeding people instead of landfills.
The press release was published on the U S Food and Drug Administration website.
