Boar's Head Among 11,530 Units of Recalled Cheese Assigned FDA's Highest Risk Alert

Symptoms of Lm include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.

Juliette Fairley

Published: 1/8/2026, 12:03:58 PM EST

Boar's Head Among 11,530 Units of Recalled Cheese Assigned FDA's Highest Risk Alert — Image courtesy of FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) assigned its highest risk warning this week to 11,530 units of withdrawn dairy product sold in 19 states including 2,106 six-ounce containers of Boar’s Head Grated Pecorino Romano and 405 pound bags of Boar’s Head Pecorino Romano Grated.

The potential for Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) contamination led the Ambriola Company to initially recall 8 varieties of cheeses two months ago, according to a Jan. 6 FDA enforcement report.

The recall is applicable to Boar’s Head Grated Pecorino Romano 6 oz. cups, Boar’s Head Pecorino Romano Grated pound bags, Locatelli Pecorino Romano Grated 4 oz. cups, Locatelli Grated Pecorino Romano 8 oz. cups, Member’s Mark Pecorino Romano 1.5 lb. bags, Locatelli Grated Pecorino Romano pound bags, Ambriola Grated Pecorino Romano pound bags, and Pinna Grated Pecorino Romano pound bags.

“We take food safety very seriously and immediately alerted stores and distributors to remove the affected products from shelves,” Ambriola Company chief executive officer Phil Marfuggi said in a Nov. 26, 2025 FDA notice. “We are working closely with the FDA and continuing to test our products and facilities to fully understand the situation.”

This week, the FDA designated the recall a Class 1 event, which is the federal government’s highest risk alert level and is described on the FDA website as having a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to the product would cause serious adverse health consequences or death.

A Class 2 event is described on the FDA website as exposure to a product that may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences, while a Class 3 event involves products that violate regulations but are unlikely to cause health problems, such as minor labeling errors.

The cheese items were sold in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin.

Boar’s Head acted immediately and decisively in November [2025] when the Ambriola recall occurred, according to a company spokesperson and the FDA said on Nov. 26, 2025 that no illnesses had been reported.

"As part of these immediate actions, Boar’s Head halted the purchase of these products from The Ambriola Company, notified retail partners, and ensured that the affected products were removed from distribution nationally," the Boar's Head company spokesperson told NTD. "The steps Boar’s Head took to protect consumers and retail partners during this Ambriola recall reflect the industry-leading safety standards and protocols that Boar’s Head has implemented across the organization."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists listeria infection as the third leading cause of death due to foodborne illness in the United States and estimates.

The FDA website describes Lm as an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

Symptoms of Lm include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.

"The FDA recently completed its standard administrative process to formally classify this months-old recall," the Boar's Head company spokesperson added. "The FDA’s classification reinforces that Boar’s Head took the right steps at the time to protect consumers.”