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Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Photo: Examples of some recalled products.
February 12, 2024 (Washington D.C.) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued an alert warning consumers about a deadly Listeria outbreak tied to queso fresco and cotija cheese products. The outbreak has resulted in 26 illnesses in 11 states, including 8 cases in California, 23 hospitalizations, and 2 deaths.
The cheeses, which have been recalled, include numerous product names and brands. The products include solid and grated cheeses,mealkits,salad dressing, dips, yogurts, saladkits, enchiladas, taco kits, and many more. View a full list of the recalled cheese products: alert.
What to do
Do not eat any recalled products. Throw them away or return to the retailer.
Listeria can survive in the refrigerator and easily spread to other foods and surfaces. Clean your refrigerator, containers and surfaces that may have touched the recalled products.
Call a healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms after eating recalled products:
Listeria Symptoms and medical information
- Pregnant people usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness.
- People who are not pregnant usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness. They may also get a headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or seizures.
Listeria is especially harmful to people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or have weakened immune systems. This is because Listeria is more likely to spread beyond their gut to other parts of their body, resulting in a severe condition known as invasive listeriosis.
For people who are pregnant, Listeria can cause pregnancy loss, premature birth, or a life-threatening infection in their newborn.
For people who are 65 years or older or who have a weakened immune system, Listeria often results in hospitalization and sometimes death.
Symptoms usually start within 2 weeks after eating food contaminated with Listeria, but may start as early as the same day or as late as 10 weeks after.
Pregnant people usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness.
People who are not pregnant usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness. They may also get a headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or seizures.
For more information about Listeria, see the Listeria Questions and Answers page.
Businesses
Businesses should not sell or serve recalled products and follow FDA’s safe handling and cleaning advice if you sold or served recalled products.
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