Locatelli Cheese Recall Lawsuit | 2026 Latest Updates

Locatelli Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese was recalled after testing found Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that can cause serious illness. The Ambriola Company issued a nationwide recall on November 21, 2025. A related Wegmans recall followed one day later.

The recalls covered Pecorino Romano cheese sold under six related brand names, plus the separate Wegmans store-label recall. All were pulled due to possible Listeria contamination.

Consumers who still have this cheese should not eat it. They should discard it or take it back to the store for a refund. FDA’s enforcement records now list both recalls as closed: Ambriola’s as completed and Wegmans’ as terminated.

Latest Locatelli Cheese Recall Updates

February 11, 2026: FDA Terminates the Wegmans Recall

FDA‘s enforcement record shows the recall Wegmans announced for Locatelli cheese, Event ID 98044, was terminated on this date [1]. The recall had stayed open since Wegmans pulled the cheese in November 2025.

No new illnesses were reported before the closure. Consumers who still have the recalled cheese should not eat it and should dispose of it or seek a refund.

January 6, 2026: FDA Classifies the Ambriola Recall as Class I

FDA classified The Ambriola Company‘s nationwide Pecorino Romano cheese recall, Event ID 98053, as Class I on this date [2]. Class I is the agency’s most serious risk category for products that could pose a health danger.

The reclassification applied to all six brand names covered by the recall. About 11,530 units were affected, counted across all six brand names in FDA’s own product-by-product breakdown.

December 19, 2025: FDA Classifies the Wegmans Recall as Class I

FDA classified the Wegmans-labeled Locatelli cheese recall, Event ID 98044, as Class I on this date. The classification used the same enforcement record cited above, which later showed the recall’s full termination in February 2026.

Class I means the cheese could cause serious illness or death. Wegmans had already begun removing the cheese from stores across ten Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states and Washington, D.C.

December 3, 2025: Ambriola Announces Its Cheese Recall

The Ambriola Company posted its public recall announcement on this date, refining which products and lots were affected [3]. The recall covered cheese initiated on November 21, 2025.

Testing found Listeria monocytogenes at Ambriola’s West Caldwell, New Jersey, facility. The recall reached six related Pecorino Romano brands sold nationwide in 20 states. No illnesses had been confirmed as of this posting.

November 26, 2025: Wegmans Announces Its Store-Label Recall

Wegmans Food Markets announced the recall of Locatelli Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese sold with its own scale labels on this date. FDA posted the announcement [4]. The recall began the day before, on November 22, 2025.

Wegmans acted on a supplier warning about possible contamination, detailed further below. The company pulled the product from stores in ten states and Washington, D.C.

What Is Listeria Monocytogenes?

Listeria monocytogenes is a type of bacteria found in soil, water, sewage, rotting vegetation, and animals, according to the Food and Drug Administration [5]. Eating food contaminated with it can cause an infection called listeriosis.

This bacteria is the hazard behind both recalls on this page: The Ambriola Company’s Event ID 98053 and Wegmans’ Event ID 98044, both later classified Class I by FDA.

Which Locatelli Cheese Are Affected?

The recalls affected several types of Locatelli-brand Pecorino Romano cheese, sold under different labels:

• Ambriola Company nationwide recall: Locatelli, Boar’s Head, Member’s Mark, Pinna, Sam’s, and Ambriola-brand Pecorino Romano cheese in various sizes. Lot numbers are listed in the notice. About 11,530 units were sold in 20 states, November 3-20, 2025.
• Wegmans store-label recall: Locatelli Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese sold in tubs marked with Wegmans scale-label UPC 2-77580-XXXXX-7. About 2,773.9 lbs were sold in ten states and Washington, D.C., November 14-24, 2025.

Consumers can match the identifiers above to the packaging, receipt, or scale label on cheese purchased during the sale periods listed.

Why Was Locatelli Cheese Recalled?

Locatelli cheese was recalled because routine testing confirmed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. This bacteria can cause listeriosis, a serious illness. The Ambriola Company said its own testing found the contamination at its West Caldwell, New Jersey, cheese-processing facility.

Wegmans recalled its own store-label version of the cheese separately, after learning of the same risk. The company said its supplier had notified it that the Locatelli-branded cheese might also carry the contamination.

Wegmans pulled the product from its stores as a precaution. It did not report any confirmed illness linked to the cheese.

FDA later rated both recalls Class I, its highest-risk label for a health hazard. Regulators use that rating for hazards most likely to cause serious harm if the product is eaten.

Reported Incidents, Injuries, or Illnesses

Neither FDA company announcement for this cheese recall reported any confirmed illnesses, injuries, or deaths linked to the product. Both notices state that no adverse events had been reported as of the dates they were posted.

That does not rule out illness in someone who ate the cheese before Ambriola’s Event ID 98053 notice or Wegmans’ Event ID 98044 notice, since neither announcement reported cases.

A report of illness afterward is not proof the cheese caused it, and no reports so far does not mean no one became sick.

Anyone who became ill after eating the recalled cheese can report it to the FDA or to their doctor. Reports that come in after the recall closes can still update the agency’s public record.

What Should Consumers Do?

Anyone with the recalled Locatelli cheese in their home should take the following steps:

1. Do not eat any cheese that matches the recalled brands, labels, or package types listed above.
2. Check the package for the UPC, lot number, or expiration date against the recall notice.
3. Dispose of the cheese or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.
4. Contact Ambriola at 1-800-962-8224 or Wegmans at 1-855-934-3663 with questions about the recall, or report an illness to the FDA at 888-723-3366.
5. Watch for symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, or diarrhea, and call a healthcare provider if they appear.
6. Pregnant women, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems should seek medical care promptly if they ate the recalled cheese.

Legal Options

No lawsuit or class action has been filed over this cheese recall. Both FDA company announcements are silent on litigation, and the federal registry of pending multidistrict litigation lists no matching case [6].

A related page on this site covers the Wegmans cheese recall lawsuit specifically. A recall does not automatically establish liability or eligibility for compensation. Anyone who became ill after eating the recalled cheese may still want an individual legal review.

Filing Deadlines

Every state sets its own deadline for filing a legal claim. These rules decide how long someone has to act after a harm occurs.

The exact deadline depends on where the person lives and when the illness or diagnosis happened. A few states begin counting only once a diagnosis is made, not at the date of exposure.

Missing a deadline can end a claim even with strong evidence. Anyone considering legal action should speak with a lawyer promptly to learn the deadline that applies to their situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Symptoms Does a Listeria Infection from Cheese Cause?

A Listeria infection from cheese can cause high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. In pregnant women, the infection can also cause miscarriage or stillbirth, so anyone with these symptoms after eating the recalled cheese should call a doctor.

Who Do I Contact About the Locatelli Cheese Recall?

Contact information for the Locatelli cheese recall includes Ambriola at 1-800-962-8224, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time, and Wegmans Food Markets at 1-855-934-3663. To report an illness, use the FDA’s MedWatch program.

What Is the Recall Number for the Locatelli Cheese Recall?

The Locatelli cheese recall carries two FDA recall numbers: H-0333-2026 for the Wegmans-labeled product and H-0367-2026 through H-0374-2026 for the Ambriola Company’s nationwide recall. Both numbers appear on the FDA’s enforcement report for this product.

Who Recalled the Wegmans-Labeled Locatelli Cheese?

Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. recalled the Wegmans-labeled Locatelli cheese in November 2025. The Rochester, New York-based grocery chain pulled the product from shelves after its supplier flagged a possible Listeria risk.

Can Freezing Kill the Listeria in Recalled Cheese?

Freezing will not kill the Listeria in the recalled Locatelli cheese. The bacteria can grow at refrigerator temperatures, so freezing does not eliminate or reduce it. Recalled cheese should be thrown away or returned, not frozen for later use.

Who Is Most at Risk from a Listeria Infection?

Young children are also at higher risk from a Listeria infection linked to the recalled cheese, in addition to the groups named above. Parents of young children who ate the cheese should watch for fever or stiffness and call a doctor if symptoms appear.

References

1. https://api.fda.gov/food/enforcement.json?search=event_id:98044
2. https://api.fda.gov/food/enforcement.json?search=event_id:98053
3. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/ambriola-company-issues-recall-cheese-products-because-listeria-health-risk
4. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/wegmans-recalls-locatelli-grated-pecorino-romano-cheese-due-possible-health-risk
5. https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborne-pathogens/listeria-listeriosis
6. https://www.jpml.uscourts.gov/pending-mdls-0