In August 2014, FDA placed certain cheeses on import alert following bacterial test results that exceeded tolerance levels. Several prominent news outlets reported that the policy could effectively prohibit imports of cheeses such as Roquefort, Morbier, St. Nectaire, and Tomme de Savoie, whose recipes usually call for a special type of bacteria. FDA has since issued an update on the status of artisanal cheese to clarify that these stories "have incorrectly indicated that the FDA is banning Roquefort and other cheeses."
The update explains that FDA placed the products on import alert after nine cheese producers tested above threshold levels for non-toxigenic E. coli, suggesting that their products were made in unsanitary conditions. Since then, FDA has been working with industry groups, and based on discussions regarding the process and safety measures in place during artisanal cheesemaking, the agency has "adjusted its criteria for taking regulatory action based on [these test results]." FDA simultaneously revised the import alert to account for these new criteria, removing six of the nine cheese producers. Recent correspondence with the American Cheese Society also indicates the agency is planning revisions to its Compliance Program Guidance for Domestic and Imported Cheese Products. Stakeholders may comment on the guidance at any time.
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