Local Creamery's Cheese Seized by FDA, Cheese Fans Depressed
On Friday, federal marshals and representatives of the FDA pulled onto the front lawn of Grays Harbor County's Estrella Family Creamery, demanding that the company surrender all its product: artisan, raw milk cheese. A favorite of foodies and high-end restaurants in several states, the cheese's seizure was an emotional event for not only the Estrella family, but local fans who wait in long farmer's market lines and local restaurants that have fallen in love with the cheese.
The decision may seem sudden, but behind it is an epic FDA tale.
Behind the cheese seizure is Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria best known for causing listeriosis, a particularly nasty brand of food poisoning, and pregnancy complications, including fetal death (ever hear that pregnant women shouldn't eat soft cheeses? Listeria is a culprit in that). Cheesemakers can get rid of listeria with pasteurization, but Estrella works with raw milk cheeses--and this isn't the first time its cheese has been recalled.
Back in March, listeria was found in one of Estrella's cheese caves--one where soft cheeses, which are particularly susceptible to bacteria growth, were being aged. Co-owner Kelly Estrella told the Times that, when the bacteria was found, they went after it aggressively, destroying all cheese from the cave and temporarily shutting down operations.
But on August 2, listeria was found in their production facilities again, and on August 16, the FDA found the bacteria in a chevrette that was marked as ready for distribution. On September 1, company laboratory results showed bacteria present in the cheese as early as May and as late as August 30. The FDA then called for Estrella to recall all of its cheese products. Estrella refused--a total recall of all cheeses would shut the business down. In the past, individual cheeses were recalled, not the whole kit and kaboodle. The bacteria wasn't found in all the cheeses--only a select few, and in cheeses that hadn't gone out for sale yet. It's a fine line between consequences for rule-breaking and the food safety gone overboard--and at the moment, it appears that Estrella and the FDA are both straddling that line.
The creamery has rallied support from fans--Estrella even showed up to the University District farmers market (sans cheese) to discuss the recall. And fans have had strong reactions to the cheese raid: a Seattle Times food writer ate a bunch before discarding the rest of her supply, and Ron Zimmerman of The Herbfarm tweeted that he had "many customers in tears."
No word yet on whether or not Estrella will stay afloat, but here's hoping the creamery can clean up its facilities in time to continue production, and that the bacteria doesn't resurface--again.
