Contaminated Cheese Recalled: The Chavegrand Cheese Factory issues recall of its production due to Listeria concerns, as reported in June
Chavegrand Dairy Recalls Cheeses Amid Listeria Outbreak
Chavegrand, a historic dairy based in Creuse, France, has initiated a nationwide and international product recall due to suspected Listeria contamination. The dairy, which produces over 90,000 pieces of cow's milk and goat's milk cheeses daily, has seen more than 40 batches of its products recalled as a precautionary measure.
The outbreak, which has resulted in 21 reported cases of listeriosis, including two deaths, in France, has also been confirmed in Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway. Health authorities have identified a possible link between the consumption of pasteurized milk cheeses from Chavegrand and these cases.
The source of the Listeria contamination remains unidentified, with investigations led by Santé Publique France, the National Listeria Reference Centre at the Pasteur Institute, the French General Directorate of Food, and the General Directorate of Health yet to pinpoint the exact contamination point within the production or supply chain.
The recall was initiated on or shortly before August 9, 2025, and includes all batches of implicated soft cheeses (Camembert, Crémeux, bûches, brie) produced before June 23, 2025. These products bear the health mark FR 23.117.001 and were distributed domestically and across more than 20 countries, including European, North American, and Asian markets.
Recall notices have been published on official platforms such as RappelConso, and consumers are advised not to consume these products. Health authorities have warned vulnerable populations about potential severe illness and instructed anyone showing symptoms who consumed the cheeses to seek medical advice promptly.
The recall was expanded to products made on the same production lines and on the same dates as the suspected contaminated products. However, Chavegrand has stated that their new production line, which was sanitized, is entirely safe.
Chavegrand, which collects more than 60 million liters of milk in five departments for the production of 7,000 tons of cheese, was in the process of closing down old production lines and starting a new one on June 8 in a new building when the withdrawals occurred. Guillaume Albert, the communication manager of Chavegrand, explained that all affected products were withdrawn from the market.
As a precaution, Chavegrand recalled all their productions before June 1st. However, no new information about the recall of products made on the same production lines and on the same dates as the suspected contaminated products was provided in this paragraph.
The source of the contamination remains unidentified and could come from the milk. Investigations into the source of contamination are ongoing and may take several weeks. New alerts have been issued by health authorities, reporting several people who had fallen ill after consuming products from Chavegrand.
[1] Santé Publique France. (2025). Listeria monocytogenes : alertes et rappels de produits. Retrieved from https://www.santepubliquefrance.fr/actualites/listeria-monocytogenes-alertes-et-rappels-de-produits
[2] RappelConso. (2025). Rappel de produits laitiers Chavegrand. Retrieved from https://www.rappelconso.fr/rappel-de-produits/rappel-de-produits-laitiers-chavegrand
[3] European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. (2025). Listeria monocytogenes outbreak associated with consumption of pasteurized milk cheese in France. Retrieved from https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/listeria-monocytogenes-outbreak-associated-consumption-pasteurized-milk-cheese-france
[4] Agence France-Presse. (2025). Listeria outbreak: France investigates Chavegrand dairy products. Retrieved from https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/2025-08-09-listeria-outbreak-france-investigates-chavegrand-dairy-products
[5] Food Safety News. (2025). France recalls Chavegrand cheese linked to Listeria outbreak. Retrieved from https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2025/08/france-recalls-chavegrand-cheese-linked-to-listeria-outbreak/
- The current listeria outbreak, connected to the consumption of pasteurized milk cheeses from Chavegrand, has raised concerns about health-and-wellness, particularly for vulnerable populations, as these conditions could potentially lead to severe illness.
- It is worth noting that the culture of the historic French dairy, Chavegrand, isn't limited to cheese production alone; it also extends to food-and-drink, as their products are distributed globally across various lifestyle markets, including Europe, North America, and Asia.
- As science continues to investigate the source of the Listeria contamination in Chavegrand's products, it is crucial to consider the role of lifestyle factors such as food hygiene and safety practices within the dairy's production and supply chain, and how these factors might impact overall health-and-wellness.
