FDA now lists the recall as completed and terminated. No illnesses had been reported in connection with the recalled cheese when the company announcement was issued, but consumers who purchased an affected package were instructed to destroy it or return it to the store for a full refund.
Quick Facts
- Product: Charlevoix Cheese Company Mild Cheddar Cheese
- Package size: 8-ounce block in clear plastic packaging
- Hazard: Potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination
- Status: Recall completed and terminated by FDA
Latest Charlevoix Cheese Recall Developments
January 2026
January 2026 – FDA records now identify the Boss Dairy Farms Charlevoix Cheese recall as completed and terminated. The terminated status indicates that FDA determined the recall process had been completed, but it does not alter the original finding that one recalled lot was associated with potential Listeria contamination.
[1]
December 2025
December 18, 2025 – FDA published Boss Dairy Farms’ voluntary recall announcement involving one retail lot of Charlevoix Cheese Company Mild Cheddar Cheese. The company said routine testing detected Listeria monocytogenes in an 8-ounce block of mild cheddar.
[1]
December 17, 2025 – Boss Dairy Farms announced the voluntary recall of the affected Charlevoix Cheese product. The company reported no illnesses at that time and advised consumers to destroy the cheese or return it to the place of purchase for a refund.
[1]
What Is the Charlevoix Cheese Recall?
The recall involved one retail lot of Charlevoix Cheese Company Mild Cheddar Cheese manufactured by Boss Dairy Farms. The product was sold as an 8-ounce block in clear plastic packaging.
FDA’s recall notice identifies UPC 850056642057, lot number 13220025, and a best-by date of October 20, 2026. The product was distributed through retail stores in Michigan only.
Why Was Charlevoix Mild Cheddar Recalled?
Boss Dairy Farms initiated the recall because the cheese could be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. According to the company announcement posted by FDA, routine testing detected the bacterium in an 8-ounce block of mild cheddar.
Listeria contamination is significant because the organism can survive at refrigerator temperatures and may cause serious illness in vulnerable consumers.
[2]
Which Charlevoix Cheese Products Are Affected?
The recall applies specifically to the following product:
- Brand: Charlevoix Cheese Company
- Product: Mild Cheddar Cheese
- Package size: 8 ounces
- UPC: 850056642057
- Lot number: 13220025
- Best-by date: October 20, 2026
FDA’s notice does not identify other Charlevoix Cheese Company products as part of this recall.
Where Was the Recalled Cheese Sold?
Boss Dairy Farms reported that the affected cheese was distributed only in Michigan through retail stores.
The recall notice did not identify nationwide distribution or sales in other states.
Were Any Illnesses Reported?
No illnesses had been reported in connection with the recalled Charlevoix Mild Cheddar when the company announcement was issued.
The absence of reported illnesses does not mean the recalled cheese was safe to eat. Consumers were instructed to destroy affected products or return them for a full refund.
What Is Listeria monocytogenes?
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can cause an infection known as listeriosis. It can contaminate ready-to-eat and refrigerated foods, including cheese.
[2]
Listeria is unusual among foodborne pathogens because it can survive and grow under refrigeration. That allows contamination to remain a concern even when cheese is properly chilled.
What Are the Symptoms of Listeriosis?
CDC states that symptoms of invasive listeriosis can include fever, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and seizures. Some people experience intestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting.
[3]
Symptoms of invasive disease may begin within about two weeks after eating contaminated food, although timing can vary.
Who Faces the Greatest Risk?
Pregnant women, newborns, adults age 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems face a greater risk of serious illness from Listeria.
Pregnant women may experience relatively mild symptoms while infection can still lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or severe illness in a newborn.
[3]
Why Can Refrigerated Cheese Remain Hazardous?
Listeria can survive and multiply at refrigerator temperatures. Refrigeration therefore does not necessarily eliminate contamination from an affected cheese product.
Recalled cheese can also contaminate nearby foods, shelves, utensils, containers, and other kitchen surfaces. A separate
Boar’s Head Pecorino Romano recall involved a different refrigerated cheese product and expiration dates.
What Should Consumers Do With Recalled Charlevoix Cheese?
Consumers who purchased the affected cheese were instructed to destroy it or return it to the store for a full refund.
Consumers should also clean and sanitize refrigerator areas, containers, utensils, and other surfaces that may have contacted the recalled cheese.
What Does FDA Recall Termination Mean?
FDA now states that the Charlevoix Cheese recall has been completed and terminated. A terminated recall generally means that FDA has determined reasonable efforts were made to remove or correct the recalled product and that proper disposition occurred.
Recall termination does not mean that previously recalled packages are safe to eat if they remain in a consumer’s refrigerator or freezer.
Who May Be Affected?
Consumers who purchased an 8-ounce package of Charlevoix Cheese Company Mild Cheddar bearing lot number 13220025 may have received recalled cheese.
People who ate the recalled product and later developed medically documented Listeria infection may want to preserve packaging, receipts, photographs, medical records, and laboratory results.
What Evidence May Matter in a Charlevoix Cheese Claim?
- The original cheese package or photographs of it
- UPC 850056642057
- Lot number 13220025
- Best-by date of October 20, 2026
- Retail receipts or loyalty-account records
- Medical records documenting illness
- Laboratory results identifying Listeria
Foodborne-illness claims generally depend on evidence connecting a particular food exposure with a medically documented infection. Product identification, timing, and laboratory evidence can therefore be important.
Who May Be Liable for a Listeria Cheese Illness?
Potential liability depends on the facts and applicable state law. Manufacturers, processors, distributors, retailers, and other businesses in the food supply chain may potentially be evaluated when contaminated food allegedly causes illness.
Possible legal theories may include negligence, defective food products, breach of warranty, or other state-law claims. A recall does not automatically establish civil liability against Boss Dairy Farms, Charlevoix Cheese Company, a retailer, or another party.
Current Charlevoix Cheese Lawsuit and Recall Status
FDA currently lists the Boss Dairy Farms Charlevoix Cheese recall as completed and terminated.
The FDA recall notice cited here does not announce a nationwide class action, multidistrict litigation proceeding, or coordinated personal-injury settlement involving Charlevoix Cheese Company Mild Cheddar.
Individual legal review may still be appropriate for a consumer who developed medically documented listeriosis after eating an affected product.
Do I Qualify for a Charlevoix Cheese Claim?
- Did you eat Charlevoix Cheese Company Mild Cheddar from lot 13220025?
- Did the package carry UPC 850056642057 and a best-by date of October 20, 2026?
- Were you later diagnosed with Listeria or treated for symptoms consistent with listeriosis?
- Can you document the purchase, exposure, laboratory testing, or medical care?
Answering yes to one or more questions does not automatically establish a lawsuit. An attorney can review the product identification, exposure history, medical evidence, laboratory results, and applicable filing deadlines to determine whether further investigation may be appropriate.
Legal Process for a Charlevoix Cheese Claim
- Free case review. An attorney reviews the cheese exposure, illness, treatment, and available documentation.
- Investigation. Evidence may include packaging, purchase records, medical records, laboratory findings, FDA documents, and recall information.
- Filing. If the evidence and applicable law support a claim, a foodborne-illness lawsuit may be filed against one or more potentially responsible parties.
- Discovery/negotiation. The parties may exchange records, obtain testimony, consult medical or food-safety experts, and discuss possible resolution.
- Resolution. A case may conclude through settlement, dismissal, court ruling, or trial depending on its facts and procedural history.
Compensation in a Listeria Foodborne Illness Case
Depending on the circumstances, a claim may seek damages for medical expenses, hospitalization, lost income, pain and suffering, pregnancy-related losses, future treatment, and other damages permitted under applicable law.
Compensation amounts vary by case. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
Important Charlevoix Cheese Recall Developments
| Event |
Month/Year |
Type |
Status |
Source |
Notes |
| Recall Termination |
January 2026 |
FDA Recall Status |
Terminated |
[1] |
Recall completed |
| FDA Publishes Recall |
December 2025 |
FDA Recall Notice |
Published |
[1] |
Listeria contamination concern |
| Company Recall |
December 2025 |
Voluntary Recall |
Initiated |
[1] |
One retail lot |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Charlevoix Cheese Lawsuit?
The Charlevoix Cheese Lawsuit topic concerns potential individual foodborne-illness claims involving recalled mild cheddar that may have contained Listeria monocytogenes. Any individual claim would depend on exposure evidence, medical diagnosis, causation, damages, and applicable law.
Which Charlevoix Cheese product was recalled?
The recall covered one lot of Charlevoix Cheese Company Mild Cheddar sold in 8-ounce clear plastic packages. The affected lot number is 13220025.
What UPC and best-by date are affected?
The recalled cheese carries UPC 850056642057 and a best-by date of October 20, 2026. Consumers should check both identifiers when determining whether a package was included.
Why was Charlevoix Cheese recalled?
Boss Dairy Farms initiated the recall after routine company testing detected Listeria monocytogenes in an 8-ounce block of mild cheddar. The recall was precautionary because affected products could present a foodborne-illness risk.
Were any illnesses reported?
No illnesses had been reported when the recall announcement was issued. That statement reflects the information available at the time and does not mean exposure could not cause illness.
Where was the cheese sold?
The recalled cheese was distributed through retail stores in Michigan only. FDA’s notice does not identify distribution in other states.
Is the Charlevoix Cheese recall still active?
No. FDA currently states that the recall has been completed and terminated.
Can I file a Charlevoix Cheese Lawsuit?
A consumer who developed medically documented listeriosis after eating the affected cheese may warrant individual legal review. A recall does not itself establish liability, and any claim depends on exposure evidence, diagnosis, causation, damages, and applicable law.
Do I Have a Charlevoix Cheese Lawsuit?
If you or a loved one developed a serious Listeria infection after eating recalled Charlevoix Cheese Company Mild Cheddar, you may have legal options. Contact Schmidt & Clark for a free case review.
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References
[1] https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/boss-dairy-farms-voluntarily-recalls-retail-mild-cheddar-cheese-because-possible-health-risk
[2] https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborne-pathogens/listeria-listeriosis
[3] https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/signs-symptoms/
