The FDA reclassified a cheese product recall to Class I, its highest hazard level, after listeria monocytogenes contamination was confirmed in select pecorino romano products from multiple brands distributed nationwide in November 2025.
- The FDA issued a Class I recall on January 6, 2026, indicating serious health risk or potential death from the contaminated cheese products
- Affected brands include Locatelli, Boar's Head, Members Mark, Ambriola, and Pinna pecorino romano cheese products
- 11,530 units were recalled after listeria monocytogenes was detected at Ambriola's West Caldwell, N.J. facility
- Products were distributed to 20 states including California, Florida, New York, Texas, and Washington between November 3-20, 2025
- Consumers should not consume affected products and should dispose of them or return to retailers for full refunds
About a month and a half after the Ambriola Company first initiated a recall of select cheese products due to possible listeria contamination, the FDA has raised its classification of the recall to its highest level.
The Ambriola Company announced its recall on December 3, 2025, after initiating the voluntary recall November 21. The company said routine testing confirmed the presence of listeria monocytogenes in select cheese products produced at its West Caldwell, N.J., facility. No illnesses had been reported stemming from the recalled products as of the December 3 announcement.
The FDA released an enforcement report January 6, 2026, classifying the recall as Class I, denoting “a situation in which there is reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”
The affected products were distributed November 3-20, 2025, at retailers and distributors nationwide, the announcement says. States where the affected products were sent included Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Select pecorino romano cheese products from Locatelli, Boar’s Head, Members Mark, Ambriola, and Pinna were included in the recall, with exact products and expiration dates noted in Ambriola’s announcement. In total, 11,530 units of product were recalled, the enforcement report says.
“We take food safety very seriously and immediately alerted stores and distributors to remove the affected products from shelves,” Phil Marfuggi, CEO at Ambriola, said in the December 3 announcement. “We are working closely with the FDA and continuing to test our products and facilities to fully understand the situation.”
Ambriola said it suspended production and distribution of affected products pending a thorough review of its sanitation and food safety procedures. It suggests customers who purchased the affected products should not consumer them, but instead either dispose of them or bring them to their place of purchase for a full refund.
