The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is expanding an earlier recall for Santa Lucia brand ricotta cheese to include stores in Montreal.

The CFIA issued the first recall on Tuesday, saying the 500-gram packages with best before dates of Jan. 1, 2009, and lot numbers 477 might be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes.

The recall now includes the following Montreal stores:

• Inter Marche Lagoria St-Leonard, 5305 Jean-Talon East.
• Inter Marche St-Michel, 10, 181 St-Michel Blvd.
• Charcuterie Noel, 5733 Leger Blvd.

No associated illnesses have been reported.

People who eat foods contaminated with listeria may carry the bacteria and not develop listeriosis. Those most vulnerable to developing the disease include the elderly, infants and patients with a compromised immune system.

Pregnant women who develop listeriosis in their first trimester are at risk of miscarriage while women in the later stages of pregnancy are at risk of delivering a stillborn or acutely ill infant.

Consumers with questions can call the Toronto-based manufacturer, International Cheese Co. Ltd, at 416-769-3547 or the Canadian Food Inspection Agency at 1-800-442-2342.