- Whole Foods recalled two soft goat cheeses on September 11 due to undeclared egg lysozyme protein that poses serious allergic risks to egg-sensitive consumers across seven states.
- The mislabeled Fromagerie Coop de Mean and Belgian Cabricharme cheeses were discovered by a store employee and removed from 18 specialty cheese departments in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island.
- No illnesses were reported, but consumers with egg allergies should watch for hives, swelling, breathing difficulty, or anaphylaxis, and can discard the product or obtain refunds with receipts at their purchase location.
If you’ve recently picked up some soft goat cheese at Whole Foods Market, here’s an important heads-up. On September 11, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a company announcement reporting that Whole Foods is recalling its Fromagerie Coop de Mean Cabricharme cheese and Belgian Cabricharme cheese because of an allergy risk.
The soft goat cheese contains egg lysozyme, an egg white protein, which is not stated on the product label. If you have an egg allergy or severe sensitivity, consuming the cheese could cause a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction. The good news: no one has reported an illness linked to the cheese so far.
The recall was initiated after a Whole Foods Market store team member noticed that the cheese was mislabeled. The cheese was stocked in the specialty cheese department at 18 Whole Foods stores in seven states—Arizona, California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. It’s now been pulled from shelves in all stores.
What exactly is being recalled?
All of the affected cheese was cut and wrapped by the pound, so it has a Whole Foods scale label. There are two distinct types of packaging specifics to look for, depending on where you purchased the cheese.
Product sold in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island:
Whole Foods Market Scale label
- Formagerie Coop de Mean Cabricharme, Raw Milk – Aged 60 days
- PLU: 57953
- Best by dates: All dates up to and including 10/7/2026
Product sold in California and Arizona:
Whole Foods Market Scale label
- Belgian Cabricharme
- PLU: 54670
- Best by dates: All dates up to and including 10/7/2026
What symptoms should you look out for if you’ve eaten the recalled cheese?
If you have an egg allergy, symptoms usually start right after you consume them. According to Mayo Clinic, signs to look out for include:
- Skin swelling or hives
- A stuffy nose or runny nose
- Sneezing
- Stomach cramps
- Upset stomach
- Vomiting
- Asthma symptoms like coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath.
Egg allergies can also cause anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction. If you experience symptoms of anaphylaxis, call 911 immediately and use epinephrine (such as an EpiPen), if prescribed, as directed by your healthcare provider. Even if your reaction was mild, contact your doctor right away and let them know about it, because reactions to eggs can vary in intensity each time you have one.
What do you do if you bought the recalled cheese?
Throw it away. Whole Foods Market says that you don’t have to return it, but that you can get a full refund if you bring a valid receipt to the store you bought it from.
If you have any questions, call Whole Foods Market at 1-844-936-8255 between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday, or 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Central Time, Saturday and Sunday.
