Oregon creamery recalls 'vampire slayer' curds over potential listeria contamination

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Bandon, Oregon’s Face Rock Creamery is voluntarily recalling two lots of its Vampire Slayer Garlic Cheddar Curds because of a potential listeria contamination, the company announced Friday.

The recalled lots have a use by date of August 29, 2025, Face Rock Creamery said.

Lysteria Monocytogenes is an organism that cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

While people who are healthy may experience short-term symptoms including high fever, headache, stiffness, nausea and diarrhea, listeria can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women, the FDA warns.

The cheese curds were sold in Trader Joe’s locations in Monterey, Fresno and Northern California along with locations in Northern Nevada including Carson City, Reno and Sparks, Face Rock Creamery explained, noting the products were packaged in a clear, sealed plastic cup with universal product code 8 51222 00528 7 and lot numbers 20250519VS01 and 20250519VS02.

The company said no illnesses have been reported as of June 20.

The recall came after a routine sampling by Face Rock Creamery, which has notified the FDA and the Oregon Department of Agriculture as the company continues to investigate the cause of the contamination.

“Face Rock Creamery is committed to ensuring the safety and quality of our products and is working closely with our distribution partners and regulatory agencies to resolve the matter swiftly and thoroughly," Face Rock Creamery said in a statement. "We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate the trust our customers place in us."