A deadly Clover Hill Dairy soft ricotta Listeria monocytogenes outbreak has sickened at least eight people in three states, according to the CDC. Seven of those patients have been hospitalized, and one person has died. The cheese, which is called requesón cheese, has been recalled.
The case count by state is: Maryland (3), New York (2), and Virginia (3). Sick people’s samples were collected on dates ranging from March 6, 2023 to May 9, 2026. Of eight people who gave information to public health officials, seven were hospitalized. The person who died lived in Maryland. The age range is from 16 to 81 years.
Those numbers are shocking, but are typical of a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak. The illness onset date can be very long because the bacteria is persistent in the environment. Once it gets into a facility, it is very difficult to kill. And most people are hospitalized in a Listeria outbreak simply because the symptoms are so severe.
Food Safety Attorney and Food Poisoning Bulletin Publisher Eric Hageman
Noted food safety lawyer Eric Hageman, who has successfully represented many clients in Listeria cases said, ‘It’s tragic that people would get so sick and that someone would die just because they bought some ricotta cheese. We hope that now that this information has been released and the cheese has been recalled, no one else gets sick.”
Of the seven people interviewed, five said they ate cheese. Two of the patients said they ate requesón cheese from Clover Hill Dairy. Other people reported exposures to different types of cheeses. The investigation is ongoing to find out if those cheese exposures relate to Clover Hill Dairy.
The PulseNet system is being used to find people who may be part of this outbreak.Whole genome sequencing showed that patient isolates are closely related genetically, which means that people in this outbreak likely got sick from eating the same food.
Officials from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets collected samples at a retail store where sick people shopped. One sample of requesón cheese that was repackaged at that retailer tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. And whole genome sequencing showed that the bacteria in that cheese is the same as the pathogen that made people sick.
The Maryland Department of Health suspended Clover Hill Dairy’s operating license and is conducting a follow up evaluation in cooperation with the facility. The traceback investigation is ongoing.
If you purchased that recalled cheese, do not eat it. Throw it away in a secure trash can, then clean your refrigerator and any places the cheese touched with a mild bleach solution to kill any bacteria.
If you ate this cheese, 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 have been sickened with a 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.
