Whole Foods Market has issued a Whole Foods Cabricharme cheese recall affecting 18 stores across seven US states, after the product was found to contain an undeclared egg protein that could trigger a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction in people with egg allergies. No illnesses have been reported, but all affected stock has been pulled from shelves.
What the Whole Foods Cabricharme Cheese Recall Covers
The recall covers Fromagerie Coop de Mean Cabricharme cheese sold by weight in the Specialty Cheese departments at stores in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. The cheese was cut and plastic-wrapped in-store and sold with Whole Foods Market scale labels.
Two labelled variants are affected. The first is Fromagerie Coop de Mean Cabricharme Raw Milk, Aged 60 Days, carrying PLU number 57953. The second is Belgian Cabricharme, with PLU number 54670. All affected products carry best-by dates through 7 October 2026.
According to the FDA recall notice, the recall was issued by Whole Foods Market of Austin, TX. The announcement was made on 11 September, according to Good Housekeeping.
Why Egg Lysozyme Triggers the Alert
The allergen at the centre of this Whole Foods Cabricharme cheese recall is egg lysozyme, an egg white protein, which does not appear on the product label. The FDA recall notice states that people with an egg allergy or severe sensitivity could experience a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume the cheese.
Egg lysozyme is sometimes used in cheesemaking as a preservative to inhibit certain bacterial growth, which is why it can appear in a product that consumers would not ordinarily associate with eggs. For shoppers managing egg allergies, that absence from the label removes any opportunity to make an informed choice before purchase.
The labelling issue was identified by a store team member. That internal discovery prompted the recall before any reported adverse reactions, and the retailer moved to clear all affected product from store shelves once the problem was confirmed.
What Customers Should Do Now
Anyone who purchased either variant of the Cabricharme cheese is urged to destroy the product at home rather than return it to store. A full refund is available with a valid receipt from the place of purchase, so customers do not need to present the physical product to claim their money back.
Given the best-by dates run through to 7 October 2026, affected cheese may still be sitting in refrigerators. Anyone in the seven affected states who has recently purchased Cabricharme from a Whole Foods Specialty Cheese counter should check the PLU number on the scale label before eating any remaining product.
The retailer confirmed that all affected cheese has been removed from store shelves, but given the cut-and-wrapped format, some could remain in customers’ homes. The FDA’s recall notice remains the definitive reference for anyone seeking confirmation of affected store locations or PLU numbers.