Jindi Cheese linked to national listeria cluster
 Baw Baw News   By // 13:52, Wednesday 19 December 2012

Jindi Brie warragul citizen by william kulich

JINDI Cheese has recalled some soft cheeses after they were linked to an eight-case listeria cluster which prompted a national investigation.

The company’s 1kg Jindi brie, Jindi camembert, Wattle Valley double brie and Wattle Valley camembert cheeses with best before dates of December 21 have been recalled.


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Victorian Department of Health spokesperson Bram Alexander told The Warragul Citizen listeria clusters of this scale are rare.

“Clusters like this are rare,” Mr Alexander said.

The Jindi cluster cases include three from New South Wales, two from Victoria and one each from Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia, and three more cases may be linked.

Mr Bram said there have been around 30 reported cases of listeria in Victoria this year, while at the same time last year 19 infections were reported. Infections reached the high 20s in 2010.


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“In most instances they’re isolated cases, they’re not one connected to another,” Mr Alexander said.

“Because we’ve seen a cluster and it’s been spread across a number of states, [an] investigation is underway to see precisely how this may have come about.”

Jindi Cheese is co-operating with the investigation and a spokesperson told The Warragul Citizen a statement will be released later today.

Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Dr Rosemary Lester said in a media release listeria infections are dangerous.

“Listeria infection is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, their unborn babies and elderly people. It can cause miscarriages in pregnant women and even death in people with compromised immune systems,” Dr Lester said.

“Investigations into listeria are complex as it can be difficult to identify the source. Symptoms of illness can take up to 70 days to appear.”

Healthy people usually show only mild systems, but early symptoms can include fever, headache, tiredness and aches and pains.

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