Popular brands of Pecorino Romano cheese sold in grocery stores nationwide including in Illinois are being recalled, with the Food and Drug Administration warning eating the products could lead to serious health problems or even death.
According to the FDA, the cheeses were recalled by the New Jersey-based Ambriola Company Nov. 25, 2025 after they were found to potentially be contaminated with Listeria. In a Jan. 6 enforcement report, the FDA classified the recall as a “Class I,” which ranks as the highest level on the FDA’s scale.
“Class I: a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death,” the FDA’s three-level scale said.
The products were sold between Nov. 3, 2025 and Nov. 20, 2025 under a number of brand names and at retailers across the country, including in Arizona; California; Colorado; Connecticut; Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Illinois; Indiana; Massachusetts; Maine; New Jersey; New York; Ohio; Oregon; Pennsylvania; Texas; Virginia; Washington and Wisconsin, the FDA said.
What cheese was recalled?
The cheese was sold in cups and bags of grated cheese under the following brand names. In total, more than 11,000 units of the product have been recalled:
| Retail Product (Exact Weight) | Expiration Dates |
|---|---|
| Locatelli Pecorino Romano Grated 4 oz. cup | 05/03/26, 05/10/26, 05/17/26 |
| Locatelli Grated Pecorino Romano 8 oz. cup | 04/06/26, 04/11/26, 04/12/26, 04/15/26, 04/17/26 05/05/26, 05/06/26, 05/07/26, 05/10/26 05/12/26, 05/14/26, 05/17/26 |
| Boar’s Head Grated Pecorino Romano 6 oz. cup | 03/04/26, 03/12/2026 |
| Member’s Mark Pecorino Romano 1.5 lb. Bag | 03/25/26, 03/30/26, 04/05/26 |
| Grated Product Sold by the Pound | Expiration Dates |
|---|---|
| Locatelli Grated Pecorino Romano | 03/04/26, 03/06/26, 03/11/26, 03/13/26 |
| Ambriola Grated Pecorino Romano | 02/28/26, 03/04/26, 03/11/26 |
| Pinna Grated Pecorino Romano | 03/11/26 |
| Boar’s Head Pecorino Romano Grated bag | 03/03/26, 03/12/26 |
Shoppers who purchased the cheese are advised to either throw it away or return it for a full refund.
“We take food safety very seriously and immediately alerted stores and distributors to remove the affected products from shelves,” Ambriola CEO Phil Marfuggi said in November. “We are working closely with the FDA and continuing to test our products and facilities to fully understand the situation.
No illnesses related to the recall have been reported to date, the FDA said.
What is Listeria? Symptoms and more
Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and even fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. It can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
Symptoms of Listeria include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
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