Let’s go back to talking about contaminated cheeses, coming this time from one of the symbolic lands of this food: France. The authorities launched a maxi alert for a suspected contamination from Listeria MonocyTogenes In several lots of cheeses produced by the Chavegrand company, based in Creuse. The products in question were distributed on a large scale, in France but also abroad.
The risk is not only theoretical. At the moment 21 cases of listeriosis have been identified, of which 18 from the beginning of June, with patients aged between 34 and 95. Unfortunately, two people have already lost their lives.
According to Santé Publique France, most patients fall into risk bands – elderly or individuals with previous pathologies – which make the infection particularly dangerous.
What is Listeriosis
Listeriosis is an infection caused by the bacterium Listeria MonocyTogenes. Symptoms can include fever, headache and muscle pain, but in the most serious cases it evolves into meningitis or neurological complications.
The incubation period can last up to eight weeks, and the most vulnerable subjects are pregnant women, babies, elderly and immunosuppressed people. In France this disease represents the second cause of death from food poisoning, immediately after Salmonella.
The survey and the link with Chavegrand cheeses
Thanks to the collaboration between the Pasteur Institute, the General Health and Food Directorate, a possible connection between the cases of infection and cheeses based on pasteurized milk produced by the Chavegrand dairy, in Creuse has been identified.
At the beginning of August, the epidemiological and microbiological investigations provided converging tests, pushing the company to have a mass withdrawal of its products.
All soft paste cheeses with florit crust produced before 23 June 2025 by the Chavegrand company are involved, based in the Creuse Department, in central France. Among the products recalled, more than 40 lots in all, include Brie, Camembert, Gorgonzola and goat cheeses such as the Bûches, marketed under several brands, including the Berger, the Lion Fromage Royal, Saveur d’Antan and the Petit Grignoteur.
These cheeses, made with pasteurized cow or goat milk, have been distributed until August 9 not only throughout France but also abroad, reaching the main chains of large retailers, including Leclerc, Carrefour and Auchan.
Consumers can identify them thanks to the health brand FR 23.117,001 EC/EU shown on the label or by consulting the cards published on the government portal Rapel Conso.
The calls then extended abroad, given that the cheeses were sold in particular in the supermarkets of Belgium and Switzerland.
And in Italy?
Also in Italy the alert was issued: the Carrefour Italia supermarkets have ordered the call of goat cheese “Buche Chevre la Belle du Bocage” produced by FROMAGERI CHAVEGRAND in France (FR 23.117.001 CE), for possible contamination from Listeria MonocyTogenes. The call concerns all the deadlines between 25 July and 12 August 2025, therefore already exceeded.
The call brings the date of 11 August, and is really too late compared to the expiry of the cheese in question.
The replica of the dairy
The Chavegrand dairy, founded in 1952 and with 120 employees, said that the contamination would take place in an old production line, now disused and replaced by new plants subject to intensified checks.
“We have increased the number of analyzes by 100 times“, Said the company, defining the episode”extremely rare“And by leaving the condolences to affected families. But consumer associations, such as foodwatch, denounce late references.
So commented Camille Dorioz manager for Foodwatch French campaign:
The problem for consumers is that, as usual, these calls come too late, when the damage is already done. The authorities and the company had been apparently aware of the risk for several weeks, but have not adopted the necessary measures. This health scandal could have been avoided.
The French health authorities advise to reduce the risk of listeria contamination to fragile people who should avoid not only soft cheeses with florit crust (especially if based on raw milk), but also hams, patés, rillettes, smoked fish and raw crustaceans.
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