On September 10, 2012 Forever Cheese, Inc. recalled all Ricotta Salata Frescolina brand, Forever Cheese lot #T9425 and/or production code 441202 due to an outbreak of listeriosis linked to the product. On November 21, 2012 the CDC declared the outbreak was over. A total of 22 patients residing in 13 states and the District of Columbia who were ill with the outbreak strain. The cheese was sold to distributors for retailers and restaurants in CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MT, NJ, NM,NY, OH, OR, PA, VA and WA between June 20 and August 9, 2012. Products were sold to supermarkets, restaurants and wholesale distributors.

Outbreak associated cases lived in 13 states and the District of Columbia. Twenty cases were hospitalized. Among persons for whom information is available, dates that illness was diagnosed ranged from March 28, 2012 to October 6, 2012. Nine of the illnesses were related to pregnancy; three of these were diagnosed in newborns. The other 13 ill persons ranged in age from 30 years to 87 years, with a median age of 77 years, and 54% were female. Four deaths have been reported; one each in California, Minnesota, Nebraska and New York. Minnesota and New York did not report listeriosis as the cause of death because it was not listed as such on the death certificate. One fetal loss was reported.