Federal health officials have tied an expanded soft-cheese recall to a Listeria outbreak spanning multiple states. Products sold in the Mid-Atlantic are involved, and, according to People, the outbreak has been associated with 12 illnesses, 10 hospitalizations, and one death.
Among the newly affected items are Salvadoran- and Mexican-style requeson products that went to stores, restaurants, and other retail outlets in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
What happened?
After supplier Clover Hill Dairy alerted it to possible Listeria contamination, La Ceiba Foods Latin Market Inc. pulled several cottage cheese and requeson products marketed under the La Colonia and Selectos Latinos labels, according to People. The FDA posted the recall announcement on June 26.
All recalled products have a July 10, 2026, expiration date. As People reported, they include La Colonia's 14-ounce Salvadoreno Requeson, two 16-ounce Selectos Latinos products — Requeson Salvadoreno and Requeson Mexicano — and an 18-pound bucket of Clover Hill requeson; shipments went out between May 11 and June 1, 2026.
Officials said this recall broadens a previous Clover Hill Dairy action connected to a long-running outbreak. People reported cases in New York, Maryland, Virginia, and Illinois, and said the Maryland Department of Health has suspended Clover Hill Dairy's operating license.
La Ceiba said, "This recall was initiated after La Ceiba Foods was notified of a recall action by its supplier, Clover Hill Dairy, following the identification of possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes in products manufactured at the facility."
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Why does it matter?
People reported that a Listeria infection can be especially dangerous for pregnant people, young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Symptoms may include fever, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, severe headaches, and stiffness, and serious cases can become life-threatening.
These cheeses were sold through regular retail channels, and some households may still have them in refrigerators or freezers. According to People, FDA testing found the outbreak strain matched samples taken from Clover Hill cheese and from the production environment.
What's being done?
The FDA is investigating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as state and local partners. People reported that Clover Hill Dairy first recalled soft ricotta products on June 3 and then widened the recall on June 18 to include all cheese made at its facility.
Consumers should not eat the recalled cheese, the FDA says, and should check packaging details closely, including the manufacturer information, because, as People reported, Clover Hill products can appear under multiple brand names. The manufacturer permit number is 24-128.
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"Consumers are advised not to consume, sell, or serve the recalled products. Products must be returned to the place of purchase for a full refund," the company wrote in the announcement.
You can also call the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission on behalf of Clover Hill Dairy. The number is 240-528-8850 extension 327.
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