A number of cheeses and other dairy products have been recalled over fears they may contain Listeria.
Rizo Lopez Foods is recalling the items because they could carry the dangerous bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The foods have been sold at grocery stores nationwide and at retail deli counters, and the company has now ceased production of all of the affected products.
The announcement was first made on January 11 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and expanded on Monday. The initial recall in January contained only one type of cheese, but now the list comprises 22 products.
"This is the first time any product that we manufacture has been linked to a foodborne illness," Rizo Lopez Foods CEO Edwin Rizo told Newsweek in a statement. "As soon as we were aware of this, we made the immediate decision to stop production and voluntarily recall all our products manufactured in our facility.
"We are working hard and diligently to find the root cause of the problem and take corrective actions to prevent it from happening again. The health and well-being of
our customers is our top priority. We have always aimed to provide the highest quality products and are committed to doing the right thing to protect the health of our consumers."
The products listed in the recall include several different Cotija, Fresco, Oaxaca, Ricotta, Panela and Blanco Suave cheeses. Several other dairy products are also on the list, including sour cream and yogurt. All are sold under the following brand names:
- Tio Francisco
- Don Francisco
- Rizo Bros
- Rio Grande
- Food City
- El Huache
- La Ordena
- San Carlos
- Campesino
- Santa Maria
- Dos Ranchitos
- Casa Cardenas
- 365 Whole Foods Market
You can view the range of full product names here.
The warning says the products were sold at deli counters in the following stores, but admits the list is not exhaustive:
- El Super
- Cardenas Market
- Northgate Gonzalez
- Superior Groceries
- El Rancho
- Vallarta
- Food City
- La Michoacana
- Numero Uno Markets
The FDA is asking consumers to check their refrigerators and freezers to see if they have purchased any of the items. Anyone with questions can contact Rizo Lopez at 1-833-296-2233, 24 hours a day.
Recent illnesses relating to consumption of the products were first reported in December. However, the FDA recorded outbreaks of Listeria related to the dairy products in 2017 and 2021.
"Epidemiologic evidence in previous investigations identified queso fresco and other similar cheeses as a potential source of the outbreak, but there was not enough information to identify a specific brand," the FDA wrote in its announcement.
There have been 26 illnesses so far, with 23 hospitalizations and two deaths.
According to a map provided by the FDA, Listeria cases relating to eating the products have been recorded in 11 states. The highest number of cases are in California, with eight known illnesses. Other states with reported illnesses are Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida.
Listeria can be particularly dangerous for pregnant women, with the FDA warning that the disease can cause miscarriages and stillbirths. Children, elderly people and those with compromised immune systems are also at higher risk from serious infection. Otherwise-healthy people usually display symptoms for only a short time.
Update 2/7/24, 10:45 a.m. ET: This story was updated with additional information.
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