Check your refrigerator because it might be time to quit the queso fresco and cojita cheese – at least until you know it’s safe.
Last week, Rizo-López Foods in Modesto, California, recalled dozens of its dairy products after they discovered consumers are at risk for listeriosis, an infection caused by the bacteria known as listeria. The most at-risk populations for developing listeriosis include pregnant and immunocompromised people, newborns, and adults over the age of 65.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the company recalled cheese, crema, yogurt, and sour cream that were distributed nationwide under the following brand names: Bright Farms, Campesino, Casa Cardenas, Dole, Don Francisco, Don Pancho, Dos Ranchitos, El Huache, Food City, Fresh Express, H-E-B, La Ordena, Marketside, President’s Choice, Ready Pac Bistro, Rio Grande, Rizo Bros, Rojos, San Carlos, Santa Maria, Tio Francisco, Trader Joe’s, and 365 Whole Foods Market.
A full list of recalled products can be found HERE.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the listeria outbreak has resulted in 26 illnesses, with two deaths and 23 hospitalizations in 11 states. Those states are Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington.
If you have purchased one of the recalled products, the CDC and FDA advise you not to consume them. You should throw them away immediately and clean any surfaces that the food may have touched.
Symptoms of listeria may include fever, muscle aches, nausea, tiredness, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.