About the Recalled Products
The Boar’s Head products included in the recall are grated Pecorino Romano in two formats: a 6-ounce cup with expiration dates of March 4, 2026 and March 12, 2026, and a grated bag with expiration dates of March 3, 2026 and March 12, 2026. The recalled products were distributed nationwide to retail stores and food distributors between November 3 and November 20, 2025, reaching at least 20 states including California, New York, Texas, Florida, and Pennsylvania.
Latest Updates
Ambriola Company of West Caldwell, New Jersey, issued the initial voluntary recall on November 21, 2025, after routine testing identified Listeria monocytogenes in its Pecorino Romano cheese products [1]. The FDA elevated the recall to Class 1 status on January 6, 2026, and published its recall notice on January 15, 2026 — the highest-risk designation the agency issues, reserved for products that could cause serious adverse health consequences or death [2]. No illnesses have been reported as of the recall’s publication date [1].
Ambriola’s Role as Supplier Across Multiple Brands
Ambriola Company is the common importer and distributor behind multiple Pecorino Romano cheese brands recalled in the same action, including Locatelli, Ambriola, Member’s Mark, Pinna, and Boar’s Head. A consumer purchasing Boar’s Head grated cheese at a deli counter or grocery store would have no way of knowing the product was imported and distributed by a separate company whose facility tested positive for Listeria contamination.
When a single supplier’s contamination event affects multiple retail brands simultaneously, the scope of consumer exposure extends well beyond what any one brand’s customer base would suggest — and the liability picture includes both the supplier and the brand under whose name the product was sold.
What a Class 1 Recall Designation Means
The FDA’s Class 1 designation is not routine. It is the agency’s formal determination that there is a reasonable probability that consuming the product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death. The upgrade from a voluntary recall to Class 1 status occurred more than six weeks after the initial recall, meaning the highest-risk classification was in place as consumers were still potentially holding the product in their homes through the winter holiday period.
The Listeria Risk in Grated Cheese
Listeria monocytogenes is particularly dangerous in ready-to-use products like pre-grated cheese, which consumers add directly to food without a cooking step that would kill the pathogen. Grated Pecorino Romano is commonly used as a finishing ingredient on pasta, salads, and soups — applications where the cheese is never subjected to heat sufficient to eliminate the bacteria.
Listeriosis symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, and gastrointestinal illness. Pregnant women face the greatest risk: Listeria infection during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature labor, or life-threatening newborn illness even when the mother experiences only mild symptoms herself.
Reported Illnesses
No confirmed illnesses had been reported as of the FDA’s January 2026 recall notice. Listeria’s incubation period can range from three days to ten weeks, creating a long and diagnostically ambiguous window between exposure and symptom onset that can make source attribution difficult for patients and physicians alike.
Can I File a Lawsuit?
If you or a family member developed listeriosis after consuming recalled Boar’s Head Pecorino Romano cheese, you may have a product liability claim against Ambriola Company and potentially Boar’s Head. Contact an attorney promptly, as state filing deadlines apply.
What to Do Now
Do not eat any Boar’s Head grated Pecorino Romano bearing the expiration dates listed above — discard the product or return it to the point of purchase for a full refund. Contact Ambriola at 1-800-962-8224 (Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. ET) with any questions.
References
1. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/ambriola-company-issues-recall-cheese-products-because-listeria-health-risk
2. https://abcnews.com/GMA/Food/fda-upgrades-voluntary-cheese-recall-highest-risk-level/story?id=129197174
3. https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/boars-head-cheese-recalled-over-listeria-risk