Cheese recall ordered over listeria

Australians are warned against eating an imported blue cheese found contaminated with listeria.

The New Zealand Whitestone Cheese Company's Windsor Blue Cheese has been recalled in Victoria, Queensland, NSW and the ACT due to the risk of listeria infection.

The Whitestone Windsor blue is sold in 110 gram wedges in a sealed plastic package and has a best before date of 6/7/2014.

While the company has removed the Windsor Blue cheese from sale in the retail sector, some people may still have the product at home, Victorian Chief Health Officer Rosemary Lester says.

Consumers are advised to throw any cheese out or return it to the place of purchase.

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 says.

Healthy people usually show only mild symptoms but in in people at risk, early symptoms include fever, headache, tiredness and aches and pains.

Symptoms can take up to 70 days to appear, making investigations into listeria difficult.