Clover Hill Dairy expanded its recall to all cheese and cheese-containing products after federal officials linked multiple samples to a Listeria outbreak across Maryland, New York and Virginia.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A Maryland dairy has recalled all of its cheese and products containing cheese after federal officials linked the company’s products to a Listeria outbreak that has sickened nine people and killed one.
Clover Hill Dairy, an Amish-owned and -operated farm in Mechanicsville, Maryland, initially recalled its requeson cheese and soft ricotta products after Listeria was detected. The recall has since been expanded to include all of the company’s cheese products, including smoked and mild cheeses, the Food and Drug Administration said June 15.
Federal officials said six samples tested positive for Listeria and matched the strain tied to the outbreak. Nine illnesses have been reported in Maryland, New York and Virginia. Eight people were hospitalized, and one person died.
The death occurred in Maryland in 2023, according to the Maryland Department of Health. State officials said Monday that no additional information about that case or the other illnesses would be released because of privacy concerns.
The recalled cheese was distributed by Nelson & Isa Lacteos and other companies to retail stores and directly to customers in Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Virginia and Washington, D.C. The products were distributed between May 4 and May 30.
Nelson & Isa Lacteos, one of Clover Hill Dairy’s distributors, also recalled 1-pound packages of requeson cheese sold in New York in May.
Consumers who bought any of the recalled products are being warned not to eat them. Retailers and other businesses that still have the cheese should not sell or serve it.
Federal officials said some products may have been repackaged and relabeled, making them harder for consumers to identify. In addition to Clover Hill Dairy, the cheese may appear under names including Kesso, Quesos La Ricura, Izalco, De Mi Pueblo and Rio Lindo.
Officials said the products should carry permit or plant number 24-128 on the label.
The Maryland Department of Health suspended Clover Hill Dairy’s operating license on May 30. The farm’s website was not functioning, and the company could not be reached for comment, according to the information provided.
Listeria is a disease-causing bacterium that can contaminate food, including when it grows in unsanitary manufacturing facilities. Symptoms can include headache, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people who develop symptoms after eating recalled cheese to contact a healthcare provider immediately.
The expanded recall means all Clover Hill Dairy cheese products and any foods containing the company’s cheese should be avoided while federal and state officials continue investigating the outbreak.
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