Quesos La Ricura Cotija Cheese is being recalled for possible Shiga toxin-producing E. coli contamination (STEC). The company is located in Hicksville, New York. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this issue.
The Cotija Cheese (Queso Cotija) was distributed in retail stores in New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Florida. the cheese is contained in a 12 ounce plastic wrapped yellow styrofoam container with a label reading “Quesos La Ricura Queso Cotija, Cotija Cheese aged over 60 days.” The UPC number on the product is 7 69087 00933 6. The recalled cheese has a sell by date of May 20, 2020-3/May 20, 2020-4.
Sampling at the retail level by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services found the E. coli bacteria in the cheese.
If you purchased this product, do not eat it, even if you are going to cook with it. Throw it away in a sealed container inside a secure garbage can with a tight fitting lid, or take it back to the store where you bought it for a full refund.
Symptoms of an E. coli infection can include a mild fever, nausea and vomiting, severe and painful abdominal and stomach cramps, and diarrhea that is bloody and watery. These symptoms usually begin a few days, up to a week, after eating foods contaminated with this pathogen.
In some cases, particularly in children under the age of 5, a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) can develop a few days after the illness. This syndrome can cause kidney failure and other serious health problems. Symptoms include little urine output, pale skin, lethargy, and easy bruising. Anyone experiencing these symptoms needs to see a doctor as soon as possible.
