The Estrella Family Creamery of Montesano, Wash., has recalled a production of Old Apple Tree Tomme cheese. The company says the cheese may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.  The organism can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail and elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems. Healthy people may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, headache, stiffness and nausea.

Old Apple Tree Tomme cheese was sold at the Ballard and U-District farmer’s markets in Seattle, Washington, and at the company’s farm store in Montesano, Washington, the weekend of Feb. 27 and 28, 2010.  No illnesses in connection with this product or any other Estrella cheeses have been reported to date. The Washington Department of Agriculture found one wheel of the cheese contained the bacteria.