Mozzarella Recall Announced: Cheese Recalled In NY And NJ For Unlisted Soy

An upstate New York company is recalling a mozzarella cheese product because it contains soy, which isn't listed on the label and could cause allergic reactions.

The Food and Drug Administration issued a Class I Recall Health Risk (High) in the mozzarella recall.

Formaggio Italian Cheese Specialties of Sullivan County, NY says it's recalling about 234 pounds of fresh mozzarella with chorizo and cilantro products sold in New York and New Jersey due to misbranding and not including "soy" on the label.

The mozzarella recall involves products made before March 28, 2013.

The cheese being recalled is "8-oz. packages of 'FORMAGGIO Authentic Hand Rolled Fresh Mozzarella with Chorizo & Cilantro' bearing the establishment number "EST. 34483″ inside the USDA mark of inspection with "Use by Dates" prior to 5/31/2013."

"The problem was discovered by FSIS during a recent Food Safety Assessment. The problem occurred when the company changed chorizo suppliers. FSIS and the company have received no reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of this product. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider. "

Soy allergies are fairly common and reactions vary. Many people with a soy allergy can tolerate small or moderate amounts of soy protein: the typical dose needed to induce an allergic response is about 100 times higher than for many other food allergens.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America estimates soy is among the nine most common food allergens.

Some people with the allergy may have an extreme allergic reaction and go into anaphylactic shock, which can be fatal if not treated immediately.

Nearly all bread products available in the US now contain soy. Soy can now be found in nearly all types of foods, from meat to ice cream, to cheese, to french fries.

Many foods are contaminated with soy due to being cooked in soy oil. At the Jack in the Box fast food chain for example, everything fried is cooked in a soy oil.

At Baskin Robbins, over half of all ice creams offered contain soy. Canned tuna may contain vegetable broth which contains soy protein.