Landy contamination? At least “21 cases of listeriosis caused by bacterial strains with similar characteristics have been identified, including 18 cases since early June 2025,” the government said on Tuesday evening, reporting at least two deaths. These cases could be linked to the consumption of cheeses produced in the Creuse, but sold throughout France, which are today the subject of a reminder of the authorities.
What is “listeriosis”?
Listeria is one of the main causes of fatal food poisoning. Listeriosis is the name of the disease it causes – it is treated in antibiotics. Dozens of deaths are listed each year.
In its so -called “invasive” form, listeriosis is particularly murderous: a quarter of the patients, about, die, for example because of neurological complications like meningitis.
Incubation generally lasts one or two weeks, but can go up to almost three months, and pregnant women are particularly threatened, with twenty times more likely to develop this infection than the rest of the population.
“Contamination of cheese with pasteurized milk is rare but can nevertheless occur due to the large presence of the Listeria Monocytogenes bacteria in the environment,” said health authorities this Tuesday evening.
Listeria can reproduce in large quantities in a refrigerator, unlike salmonella for example. Listeriosis is therefore often linked to “foods that can be kept for a long time in refrigerated conditions”, summarizes the World Health Organization (WHO).
Which cheeses are recalled?
According to health authorities, it is “early August” that a “possible link” was established between these cases of listeriosis and “the consumption of cheeses with pasteurized milk produced by the company Chavegrand”, in the Creuse. All the products made in its premises before June 23, 2025 are thus the subject of a recall.
“These products, which are all soft cheeses with a flowery crust with pasteurized milk of cow (such as camemberts or creamy) or goat (such as logs), were marketed until August 9, 2025 by cheese dairy throughout the national territory as well as international, under different trademarks”, indicate the health authorities this Tuesday evening.
In France, and according to the files published on the government site Reminderconso (difficult to access this Tuesday evening due to too strong crowds), are thus affected by camemberts, goats, gorgonzolas or even bries. They have been sold in supermarkets, such as Auchan, Leclerc, Carrefour, Lidl or U. It should be checked that its product is not in this list before consuming any cheese.
Products made from cheeses, without them being the main ingredients (such as pizzas), can also be the subject of this recall.
What to do in case of consumption of these products?
“People who would have consumed it and who would present fever, isolated or accompanied by headache and aches are invited to consult their treating doctor by signaling this consumption,” said the health authorities this Tuesday evening. This is not to be taken lightly, especially since “serious forms with neurological complications and maternal or fetal damage in pregnant women can also sometimes occur”.
How to explain this contamination?
An investigation should make it possible to determine the circumstances of this contamination. In a statement released on Tuesday, the consumer association Foodwatch denounces an “avoidable health scandal”. And for good reason, the company “had already recalled cheeses last June for the same concern for Listeria”.
“We know that the same company had already recalled products in June for this same list of Listeria, denounces in this press release Camille Dioz, campaign director in the association. It should therefore have taken the hygiene measures which are necessary and to ensure that it did not sell products that expose consumers to a danger to their health. »»
Contacted Tuesday afternoon, the Chavegran cheese dairy explains that all the products recalled, in June and August, were produced on an old production line, closed in early June and replaced by a new line, in an extension of the building. “There was a very reinforced analysis plan, with several thousand analyzes, but we did not find (of listeria trace) in the cheese dairy. There is no explanation yet, ”said Guillaume Albert, consultant for Chavegran.
Who are the victims?
The health authorities are currently discreet about the identity of the victims and their location on the territory. The fact remains that we know that contaminated people are between 34 to 94 years old.
We do not know the age of the two deceased. One of them had “underlying pathologies”, which could explain the death.
