Table of contents
- Latest Sunrise Creamery Cheese Recall Updates
- September 29, 2026: FDA Posts Warning Letter to Middlefield
- March 31, 2026: Enforcement Report Lists Class I Recall
- March 6, 2026: FDA Issues Warning Letter
- September 8, 2025: FDA Publishes the Recall Notice
- September 5, 2025: Middlefield Announces the Recall
- August 18, 2025: Separate Ohio Recall
- Which Sunrise Creamery Cheese Are Affected?
- Why Was Sunrise Creamery Cheese Recalled?
- Reported Incidents, Injuries, or Illnesses
- What Should Consumers Do?
- Other Recalls, Warnings, or International Actions
- Legal Options
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What Did the FDA Warning Letter Say About Middlefield?
- How Long Did the Middlefield Warning Letter Take to Appear Online?
- Does the Recall Cover All Sunrise Creamery Cheese?
- What Are the Symptoms of Listeria from Recalled Cheese?
Middlefield Original Cheese Co-op recalled Sunrise Creamery Dilly Pickle Monterey Jack and Middlefield Original cheeses because of possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The company announced the recall on September 5, 2025, and FDA posted it on September 8, 2025.
The cheeses were sold in Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Texas. The notice reports no illnesses to date. The FDA enforcement report lists the expanded recall as Class I, The Healthy reports.
Stop using matching cheese, check the sell-by date and lot code, and return it to the store for a refund. No lawsuit, class action or MDL names this recall.
Latest Sunrise Creamery Cheese Recall Updates
September 29, 2026: FDA Posts Warning Letter to Middlefield
The FDA posted a warning letter to Middlefield Original Cheese Cooperative on its website on September 29, 2026, MedicalDaily reports [1].
The letter says investigators found Listeria monocytogenes in 14 of 80 swabs from the plant. It reports no illnesses. It announces no new recall.
March 31, 2026: Enforcement Report Lists Class I Recall
The Healthy reported that the FDA enforcement report puts the recall at 7,455 pounds [2]. The notice states no quantity. The report also lists provolone and mozzarella as 5 lb loaves and Swiss in 2 lb deli bags.
March 6, 2026: FDA Issues Warning Letter
FDA issued a warning letter to Middlefield Original Cheese Cooperative in Geauga County, Ohio, on March 6, 2026. It came after a plant inspection from August 12 through September 8, 2025.
The same MedicalDaily report says the letter cites failures in preventive controls, record review, pest control and recall planning. It calls a warning letter informal and advisory.
September 8, 2025: FDA Publishes the Recall Notice
FDA published the company’s recall announcement on September 8, 2025 [3]. The FDA notice lists the product type as Food and Beverages. It calls the action a voluntary company recall.
September 5, 2025: Middlefield Announces the Recall
Middlefield Original Cheese Co-op announced a recall of Sunrise Creamery Dilly Pickle Monterey Jack, Organic Gouda and other cheeses on September 5, 2025. The cause was possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.
The cheeses were distributed in Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Texas. The distribution ran between July 7, 2025 and August 14, 2025.
August 18, 2025: Separate Ohio Recall
Cheese Reporter says the cooperative separately recalled three Ohio cheeses on August 18, 2025 [4]. The recall covered 246.5 pounds of 100% Grass-fed Pepper Jack, 2.5 pounds of Horseradish Flavored cheese and 640 pounds of Monterey Jack.
The same report says the cheese was distributed only in Ohio and that no illness had been reported when the recall began.
Which Sunrise Creamery Cheese Are Affected?
Middlefield Original loaves and the Organic Gouda carry a 2/13/2026 sell-by date, and Middlefield Original shredded bags carry 9/3/2025. The FDA notice lists these cheeses:
- Organic Gouda in 8 oz packages.
- Mozzarella/Provolone in 5 lb shredded bags.
- Colored (Yellow) Cheddar loaves labeled Smoked Cheddar and All Natural Mild Cheddar, plus shredded bags labeled Shredded Cheddar Cheese.
- Swiss in 5 lb loaves dated 2/13/2026.
- Pepper Jack and Monterey Jack in loaves and shredded bags, with the Pepper Jack loaves labeled All Natural Pepper Jack.
- Sunrise Creamery Dilly Pickle Monterey Jack with Pickles, lot code 253054: a 6 oz package labeled Dilly Pickle, sell by 1-7-26, 1-11-26 or 2-16-26, and a 1.25 lb package labeled Dilly Pickle Jack, sell by 12-30-25.
Find the Sunrise date on the side of each package. Middlefield dates are on stickers on each 5 lb loaf or on the shredded-cheese box.
Why Was Sunrise Creamery Cheese Recalled?
These cheeses were recalled because company testing found Listeria monocytogenes in finished product. It was also on surfaces of cutting equipment, the notice says.
The notice says Listeria can cause serious infections, and some are fatal. Young children, frail or elderly people and people with weakened immune systems are at risk. It says infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
A later warning letter, reported by MedicalDaily, cites Listeria in swabs from the plant. These are FDA inspection findings, not court findings.
Reported Incidents, Injuries, or Illnesses
The company notice of September 5, 2025 says there have been no reports of illness to date associated with consumption of these products. The notice gives no figures for injuries or deaths.
The warning letter also reports no illnesses. This recall began after company testing, not after a confirmed illness. Reports of illness, or the lack of them, do not show whether a product caused any one person’s symptoms.
What Should Consumers Do?
Take these steps if you have Sunrise Creamery or Middlefield Original cheese at home:
- Check the sell-by date and the lot code on the package or sticker.
- Stop using any cheese that matches the recalled products.
- Dispose of the cheese, or return it to the store during normal business hours for a refund.
- Call Middlefield general manager Nevin Byler at 440-632-5567, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM EST.
- Contact FDA at 1-888-463-6332 to ask questions or report a problem.
- See a clinician if you have symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain or diarrhea after eating the cheese. Take extra care if you are in a CDC at-risk group [5].
Other Recalls, Warnings, or International Actions
The August 18, 2025 recall is a separate action from the one on this page. The company cited environmental contamination that migrated to food-contact areas, according to Cheese Reporter.
That recall covers cheese distributed between July 14, 2025 and August 7, 2025. It was produced on June 16, 2025, June 24, 2025 and July 16, 2025.
Legal Options
If you ate recalled cheese and became ill, a lawyer can review your own facts. No one has filed a lawsuit, class action or MDL over this recall.
A recall does not automatically establish liability or eligibility for compensation. Our page on the Middlefield Original cheese recall covers the same cooperative.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Did the FDA Warning Letter Say About Middlefield?
The FDA warning letter to Middlefield also describes corroded equipment, live cockroaches and rodent droppings at the plant, according to MedicalDaily. It calls the letter informal and advisory, so it is not a court finding.
How Long Did the Middlefield Warning Letter Take to Appear Online?
The Middlefield warning letter appeared online after a 207-day gap from its March 6, 2026 date. The FDA has not publicly explained the delay, according to MedicalDaily.
Does the Recall Cover All Sunrise Creamery Cheese?
The recall does not cover all Sunrise Creamery cheese. Among Sunrise Creamery products, the notice names only the Dilly Pickle Monterey Jack with Pickles, lot code 253054. The other recalled cheeses carry the Middlefield Original name.
What Are the Symptoms of Listeria from Recalled Cheese?
The symptoms of Listeria from recalled cheese may include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Healthy people may have only short-term symptoms. Anyone in an at-risk group with symptoms should contact a clinician.