Boars Head Issues Class I Recall Over Listeria Risk

If you picked up any cheese for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, then you may want to double-check which product you bought, because an important recall has just been issued.

Ambriola Company, which supplies Pecorino Romano cheese to Boar’s Head, announced a Class I recall of select SKUs of its product, including two cheeses that are produced and sold under the Boar’s Head brand, due to the “potential presence of Listeria monocytogenes.”

The two Boar’s Head-branded cheeses, the recall explains, were sold at retailers across the United States, including in Tops and Big Y stores.

The recalled items are the Boar’s Head Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese in 6-ounce packages (UPC 0-42421-05858) and the Boar’s Head Pecorino Romano Cheese in 7-ounce wedges (UPC 0-42421-15160). The grated cheese will have a “best by” date between November 21, 2025, and March 12, 2026, while the wedges have “best by” dates between November 25, 2025, and May 11, 2026.

“Out of an abundance of caution, Boar’s Head brand’s supplier of Pecorino Romano cheese, Ambriola Company, has issued a voluntary market withdrawal for their Pecorino Romano cheese wedge that is not directly impacted,” supermarket chain Big Y details on its web page about the recall. “There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.”

Boar’s Head made headlines in the summer of 2024 when it recalled 7 million pounds of deli meat in response to one of the most deadly outbreaks of Listeria in a decade. This major outbreak caused the closure of a Boar’s Head plant in Virginia and is unrelated to the current recall.

As the Mayo Clinic explains, infection with Listeria — a bacterium that can spread through many foods — “can be very serious for pregnant women, people older than 65, and people with weakened immune systems. Some foods are likely to be contaminated with bacteria than others. These include soft cheeses, deli meats, and dairy products that haven’t been treated to kill bacteria, called pasteurized.” It adds that while healthy people rarely become extremely ill from Listeria, it can be “fatal to unborn babies, newborns, and people with weakened immune systems.”

Critically, the Mayo Clinic notes that Listeria can “survive refrigeration and even freezing,” so it is best not to consume any of the cheeses included in this recall.

According to Big Y, you can return the product to your local store or provide proof of purchase, such as a receipt, to receive a full refund. If you bought the recalled product from a store that doesn’t accept returns or are unable to bring the cheese back to the supermarket, you should safely discard it.

Any consumers with questions or concerns may also contact Boar’s Head directly at (800) 352-6277.