Recall alert: Queso fresco, Cotija cheese, other dairy items recalled over listeria

MODESTO, Calif. — Rizo-López Foods, Inc. issued a nationwide recall of more than 60 dairy products, including the popular snacks queso fresco and Cotija cheese, after an investigation showed the items were the source of a listeria outbreak over the past decade.

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According to a news release from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration on Monday, Rizo-López Foods issued the recall after information shared by the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The outbreak was first detected in June 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. According to The Associated Press, the outbreak caused 26 people in 11 states to become ill, including a person who died in California in 2017 and another who died in Texas in 2020.

According to the FDA, the recalled products include cheese, yogurt, and sour cream. They were sold under the 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, and 365 Whole Foods Market.

The recalled products were distributed nationwide by Rizo-López Foods and through distributors. Products also were sold at retail deli counters including El Super, Cardenas Market, Northgate Gonzalez, Superior Groceries, El Rancho, Vallarta, Food City, La Michoacana, and Numero Uno Markets, the FDA said.

The agency said that consumers should check their refrigerators or freezers for the products and throw them away.

According to the CDC, Listeria can cause serious illness and, in rare cases, death. Vulnerable people include people who are pregnant or who are 65 and older. People with weakened immune systems are also at risk, according to the agency.

Customers with questions can contact Rizo-López Foods, Inc., a company based in Modesto, California, at 833-296-2233. The phone number will be monitored 24 hours a day, according to the FDA.

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