Trader Joe’s Recalls One Of Its Most Popular Cheese Products — Shoppers Warned of Deadly Bacteria

Tucked in the “banana belt” of Bandon on the Southern Oregon Coast is a cheesemaking factory surrounded by the fertile Coquille River Valley, where cows feed on lush grass and produce boatloads of fresh milk. This factory, owned by Face Rock Creamery, has been churning out millions of cheeses and cheese curd products for over a century. In its product catalogue, Face Rock has a series going by the name “Vampire Slayer,” which consists of cheese products infused and enrobed in the bold flavor of garlic.

In an unfortunate instance, one of these cheese products has been recalled because some pernicious organisms have sneaked inside the cheese and turned it toxic. As reported by the company’s news release and an announcement by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Trader Joe’s has initiated a voluntary recall for Face Rock’s award-winning cheese curd due to a potential contamination with Listeria.

Details of the recalled product

The exact name of the recalled product is Face Rock Creamery’s Vampire Slayer Garlic Cheese Curds, which comes in a sealed plastic cup packaging featuring a lid. The product has a “Use by date” of 29th August, 2025, and the UPC 8 51222 00528 7. The lot codes of recalled items include 20250519VS01 and 20250519VS02. The product is a type of cheese curd. The Spruce Eats explains cheese curds as small, bite-size pieces of unaged cheese or curdled milk formed as by-products during the cheesemaking process. 

Roughly the size of peanuts, these cheese curds are rich in vitamins, calcium, and protein. Folklores say that garlic is a vampire repellent, per National Geographic. Owing to the garlic flavoring, this product was often hailed as a vampire slayer, until June 20, 2025, when the recall report came out. The contaminating bacteria, called Listeria monocytogenes, were detected during a routine sampling program by the company.

What is Listeria monocytogenes?

According to the FDA, Listeria monocytogenes is “an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.” Although healthy individuals may only suffer short-term symptoms, people with sensitive immune systems, like pregnant women, can be affected much more severely. “Consumers who have purchased this product are urged not to consume it and to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund,” the food safety agency advised the consumers.

Stores impacted by the recall

The recalled products were distributed and sold only in the Trader Joe’s stores located in Northern California and Northern Nevada. In Northern California, the locations included Monterey, Fresno, and all locations in the North. In Northern Nevada, the recalled cheese curds were pulled from the shelves in Carson City, Reno, and Sparks.

What is the company saying?

In an exclusive statement to PEOPLE, a Trader Joe’s representative clarified that the company is dedicated to ensuring the safety of all its food products, and this recall is an isolated case. “We do the daily work to make certain our products meet our stringent food safety expectations. We don't take any chances when it comes to product safety and quality,” they said. The representative added that they are aggressively investigating the potential problems and removing the affected products from sale. “We take these matters seriously, personally, even as our families eat and drink TJ's products, too.”