The recall of Queseria Bendita soft cheeses and sour cream for Listeria monocytogenes contamination has been updated to include ALL best by dates. Previously, all products with best by dates up to 4/16/15 were recalled. There is an outbreak associated with this recall; three people in Washington state were sickened with listeriosis. Two people were hospitalized, and one person died. One illness was associated with a pregnancy.
The recalled products are packaged in clear plastic wrappers or plastic tubs, and the best by dates are stamp coded next to a label. The cheeses and sour cream have shelf lives of up to 90 days. The last date of distribution was January 15, 2015. That means consumers probably still have them in their homes.
All best by dates are recalled. The recalled products are Panela in 1 pound plastic wrap packages with UPC number 6 10074 99341 4, and Queso Fresco in 1 pound plastic wrap packages with UPC number 0 94922 10602 5. Queso Fresco in 3 pound packages is also recalled. That product is in plastic wrap and doesn’t have a UPC number.
Requeson cheese in 1 pound packages is recalled. That is packaged in a plastic tub, with UPC number 0 94922 10603 2. Sour Cream/Crema Agria in 1 pound plastic tubs is recalled, with UPC number 0 94922 10608 7 and no best by date. Finally, Cotija Cheese in 1 pound plastic wrap packages is recalled. There is no UPC number and no best by date on the label for that last product.
These cheeses and the sour cream were distributed to Hispanic grocery stores in Washington and Oregon and also sold from the firm’s on-site store in Yakima, Washington. If you purchased these products, do not eat them. Discard in double bagged containers or return to the place of purchase for a refund.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling these products. Then clean out your refrigerator and anywhere else the products were placed with a mild bleach solution. Listeria bacteria can grow at refrigerator and freezer temperatures.
If you ate any of these recalled products, watch yourself for the symptoms of listeriosis, the illness caused by the Listeria monocytogenes bacteria, for the next 70 days. Those symptoms include high fever, stiff neck, headache, muscle aches, nausea, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. Pregnant women can have serious complications from a listeriosis infection and lose their babies, even if their illness is very mild. If you do get sick, see your doctor immediately and tell her you ate these recalled products.
