Headcheese might sound like a joke, but Illinois health officials say there is nothing funny about the listeria outbreak they have now tied to the old-school deli meat. Three people in Illinois fell ill after eating DAISY BRAND headcheese that had been sliced at deli counters in Illinois and parts of Indiana, according to state authorities.
Headcheese sounds unserious. Listeria is not. May 13, 2026
"Headcheese sounds unserious. Listeria is not," the Illinois Department of Public Health warned, urging anyone who bought the product to check their refrigerators and toss any suspect loaves. In a news advisory, the agency said three people reported eating headcheese purchased from three different deli locations and that additional testing of product samples is still underway, per the Illinois Department of Public Health.
What To Look For
The alert covers products labeled "DAISY BRAND Meat Products HEADCHEESE" with a "USE BY" date of MAR 26 2026. Some packages also carried a red sticker marked "HOT" with the same date, according to the FSIS. The items bear the establishment number "EST. 21406" and were intended for slicing at retail deli counters. Trade reporting notes that the headcheese was produced on Jan. 20, 2026, as reported by Meat+Poultry.
Symptoms And Who Should Seek Care
Listeria infection can trigger fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, and gastrointestinal symptoms and is especially dangerous for pregnant people, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Officials cautioned that people in higher-risk groups who develop flu-like symptoms within two months of eating the product should seek medical care and tell their provider about the possible exposure, as reported by NBC Chicago.
Where It Came From
The headcheese was produced by Crawford Sausage Co., Inc., which sells meat under the Daisy Brand label and lists a factory store at 2310 South Pulaski Road in Chicago. Crawford Sausage Co. identifies itself as the distributor of Daisy Brand meat products and provides contact information for the Pulaski Road factory location.
What Officials Recommend
Because the affected loaves were meant to be sliced at delis and are no longer believed to be on store shelves, federal regulators issued a public health alert instead of requesting a formal recall. Food safety officials urged anyone who still has Daisy Brand headcheese with the March 26 use-by date to throw it away or return it to the place of purchase. They also advised consumers to thoroughly clean refrigerators and told delis to clean and sanitize all food and non-food contact surfaces while testing continues, according to the FSIS.
