The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published an overall list of the types of Rizo-Lopez foods that have been recalled in the wake of a deadly Listeria monocytogenes outbreak. Both FDA and USDA regulated foods are included on this list.
The outbreak has sickened at least 26 people in 11 states. Twenty-three of the patients have been hospitalized, and two people have died. The case count by state remains at: Arizona (4), California (8), Colorado (4), Florida (1), Georgia (1), Nevada (1), North Carolina (1), Oregon (1), Tennessee (2), Texas (2), and Washington (1). The patient age range is from less than one to 88 years. Illness onset dates range from June 15, 2014 to December 10, 2023. The patients who died lived in Texas and California.
All Rizo-Lopez dairy products have been recalled in connection to this outbreak. The CDC states that the outbreak is linked to that company’s queso fresco and cotija cheese. You can see the long list of recalled products at the FDA web site. The recalled cheeses include:
Blanco suave
Cotija
Oaxaca
Panela
Queso crema
Queso fresco
Queso para freir
Queso seco
Requeson
Ricotta
And the secondary recalls include these types of food that were made with the recalled cheese, crema, or yogurt:
Salads and salad kits
Tacos and taco kits
Burritos
Enchiladas
Sandwiches
Dressings, sauces, and dips
Please look at the list carefully to see if you purchased any of these products. If you did, do not eat them, even if you plan to heat them thoroughly first because of the possibility of cross-contamination. Throw these items away in a secure trash can, or take them back to the store where you bought them for a full refund.
If you ate any of these items, you need to monitor your health for the symptoms of listeriosis for the next 70 days. That’s how long it can take for symptoms to appear after infection. If you do get sick, see your doctor.
If you or a loved one have been sickened with a Listeria monocytogenes food poisoning infection, please contact our experienced attorneys for help with a possible lawsuit at 1-888-377-8900 or text us at 612-261-0856. Our firm represents clients in lawsuits against grocery stores, restaurants, and food processors, and families in wrongful death cases..
