Cheese recalled from vendor at Farmers Market

Robby emailed us that Estrella Family Creamery, “A very popular vendor at the Ballard Farmers Market,” is recalling one of its soft cheeses. According to this release by the FDA, the recall is for their Red Darla cheese because “it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.” The cheese was sold at several places including the Ballard Farmers Market in January 2010 through February 11, 2010.

Upon routine inspection, the FDA found that one cheese wheel contained Listeria monocytogenes, although no sicknesses from this cheese have been reported. The company has stopped making and distributing this cheese.

If you purchased Red Darla Cheese, you can return it to where you bought it for a full refund. If you have questions you can contact the company at 360-249-6541.

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11 thoughts to “Cheese recalled from vendor at Farmers Market”

  1. This is why I don't get fresh foods from the ballard farmers market anymore. Last time I got some steaks from a guy who was TOUTING how great and fresh his stuff was.

    Not only was the meat rubbery and rough, but I got sick from it within ~4-5 hours of eating it.

    When I brought it up to the guy at the next market, he swore he never saw me before and said it must have been meat from someone else or whole foods.

    whatever. a buncha folks at the farmers market are just jacking up the price on sub-standard product.

  2. I remain a loyal customer of Estrella and of the Farmers Market. I applaud them for stepping forward and taking fullresponsibility for their product. If there's anything learned here it is that any and all food sources can be contaminated. Only those that delay or deny action to prevent further harm to their customers (like @kittykat's meat vendor) deserve to fail.

  3. Estrella is awesome… sorry to hear there was an issue with the Red Darla. I'm sure it will be resolved but meanwhile there are several other wonderful choices. See you this Sunday and good luck!

  4. How do you know it was the steaks that made you sick? Getting sick within 4-5 sounds too soon to me. I've had serious food poisoning a couple times, and the bacterial food poisoning usually takes at least 24 hours to set in.

    I did have food poisoning once that set in within a few hours, but that was from eating kidney beans that were not cooked at a high enough temperature — red beans contain a toxin that will make you violently ill if not cooked properly. I recommend always cooking red beans in a pressure cooker — and you must cook beans this way if you are at elevation.

    Anyways, ethical questions aside, you are much more likely to become ill from eating from the salad bar than from eating fully cooked meat.

  5. Having shopped at the Ballard market for some time and having worked in food manufacturing for longer, I've often wondered how a recall would go into effect if one were ever to occur.

    I would expect some pretty prominent signage at their booth at the market for the next few weeks, I was there on Sunday and didn't stop to notice, did anyone else?

    Pretty tough to chase down people who pay in cash and only come by once a week at most.

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