MEDINA COUNTY, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) has issued a health alert for a pair of cheese spreads produced in Ohio and sold in the Medina County area.
The health alert is for Seville Spread and Seville Spread Brown Sugar Cinnamon, batch number 221112, which are made by Yellow House Cheese LLC, 9733 Wooster Pike, Seville, OH 44273. The health alert comes as a result of a lack of antibiotic testing and pasteurization records for the milk used to make the cheese.
The items are packaged in clear plastic containers that weigh between 4 to 8oz each. Seville Spread is sold in the Medina County area and ODA is cautioning people who have purchased this product not to consume it.
According to ODA, prior to processing, all milk used to make dairy products must be tested for the presence of antibiotics and any milk that tests positive for antibiotics is destroyed and is not permitted to be used. Individuals with allergies to beta-lactam antibiotics, such as penicillin, who consume products containing these antibiotics, may have an allergic response.
Additionally, the milk used to make this type of cheese must be pasteurized, as pasteurization kills the harmful bacteria that may be present in the milk, such as Campylobacter, E. coli, Listeria and Salmonella. Illness could come as a result of consuming dairy products made with milk that was not properly pasteurized.
Anybody who is exhibiting signs or symptoms of an allergic reaction or foodborne illness is encouraged to contact a physician immediately.