Alert Issued For Headcheese Made In Chicago Amid Outbreak Investigation

As officials are investigating an illness outbreak, one product is getting a Public Health Alert.

You probably clicked on this thinking, 'what the heck is headcheese?' which was also my first reaction to this.

Headcheese isn't really cheese at all but one of the possible problem products is from Daisy Brand Meat Products, which is based in Chicago. It's receiving a Public Health Alert from U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The product was sold in Illinois and Indiana. There's been a Listeria outbreak (so far 3 people) that's thought to be contained in Illinois.

It's getting the alert and not being recalled because it's not being sold in stores anymore.

What Is Headcheese?

Below is the headcheese under the Public Health Alert. Look closely: can you read those ingredients?

Headcheese is a ready-to-eat pork deli meat that's made from meat and seasonings cooked together and molded into a jelly-like loaf.

Here are the specifics of the loaves that are under the Public Health Alert:

• Daisy Brand Meat Products Headcheese (use-by date of March 26, 2026)
• Daisy Brand Meat Products Headcheese (with a red sticker that says 'HOT', use-by date of March 26, 2026)
• The number 'EST. 21406' under USDA mark of inspection

If you have any of those, you're advised to clean your refrigerator thoroughly to prevent the possibility of cross-contamination.

Meanwhile, as for the outbreak, it's currently contained in Illinois. They're still doing more testing to figure out if the headcheese's positive test for listeria is connected to the illnesses.

The illness listeria can cause is called listeriosis which, sparing you the laundry list of symptoms, pretty much sounds like it would wreck your gastrointestinal system.