The FDA has released a prevention strategy to try to enhance the safety of soft Queso Fresco cheeses (QFT) after several foodborne illness outbreaks. From 2014 to 2017 there were five listeriosis outbreaks in the United States that were linked to the consumption of soft fresh Queso type cheeses. There were 12 more outbreaks of listeriosis in the United States during the time period of 1998 to 2014 that were associated with soft cheeses made from pasteurized milk. Most were associated with soft Queso Fresco type cheeses. And in 2021 the FDA investigated a deadly Listeria monocytogenes outbreak linked to El Abuelito Cheese products that sickened at least 13 people in four states and killed one person who lived in Maryland. Historically, these outbreaks have been associated with … [Read more...]
What Are the Current Food Poisoning Outbreaks in the U.S.?
What are the current food poisoning outbreaks in the U.S.? There are three active foodborne illness outbreak investigations that are ongoing, and one outbreak linked to a type of bottled water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those four outbreaks do not include the active E. coli O145:H28 outbreak on the FDA's CORE Investigation Outbreak table, which has no food or facility associated with it yet. Salmonella Hadar Ground Turkey Outbreak The first current food poisoning outbreak is the Salmonella Hadar outbreak linked to ground turkey that was last updated on April 12, 2021. At least 28 people from 12 states are sick in that outbreak. Two people have been hospitalized because they are so ill. Three brands of ground turkey have been recalled in … [Read more...]
Three Outbreaks on the FDA CORE Investigation Table; Two Are Unsolved
There are currently three outbreaks on the FDA CORE Investigation Table and two remain unsolved. The first is caused by Salmonella Miami, with 64 sickened and no product or place identified. The second is an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that has sickened 16 people, with no product or place identified. And the third is the Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that has sickened 11 people, linked to recalled El Abuelito queso fresco cheese. The number of identified outbreaks continues to be slow. During the pandemic last year, the number of outbreaks was at a real low, with only ten multistate food poisoning outbreaks identified in the entire year. Two of the outbreaks have CDC investigation notices. The E. coli O157:H7 outbreak has not been updated since February 2, 2021, but officials seem … [Read more...]
El Abuelito Cheeses Were More Widely Distributed Than First Thought
UPDATE 3/9/21: El Abuelito cheeses were also sold in Rhode Island. The FDA has updated its investigation into the deadly multistate Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that is linked to recalled El Abuelito queso fresco and has revealed that El Abuelito cheeses were more widely distributed than first thought. The case count still stands at 11 sick, with 10 hospitalized and one death. Four patients were from Maryland and four from New York, with one from Connecticut and two from Virginia. The recalls are also unchanged. The first recall, issued on February 19, 2021, after whole genome sequencing testing conducted by the state of Connecticut found the outbreak strain in a sample of El Abuelito queso fresco, was for El Abuelito Queso Fresco as well as the brands Rio Grande and Rio Lindo … [Read more...]
Where Were El Abuelito Cheeses Recalled For Possible Listeria Sold?
A deadly multistate Listeria monocytogenes outbreak has been linked to recalled El Abuelito queso fresco cheeses. Eleven people are sick; ten have been hospitalized. And one person who lived in Maryland has sadly died. Many of the cheeses the company made have been recalled. But where were El Abuelito cheeses recalled for possible Listeria contamination sold? The Connecticut Department of Health found the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes in a sample of El Abuelito queso fresco cheese taken from a store where an ill person shopped. The first recall was issued on February 19, 2021. That recall was for El Abuelito Queso Fresco Regular, Queso Fresco Promoción, Queso Fresco de Hoja, Queso Fresco, and Queso Fresco Guatemala. Also recalled were Rio Grande Food Products … [Read more...]
FDA Warns Against All El Abuelito Cheese In Listeria Outbreak Investigation
The FDA warns against all El Abuelito cheese in the most current Listeria monocytogenes outbreak investigation notice that was posted today. The notice states, "Out of an abundance of caution, and due to the severity of Listeria infection, the FDA is expanding its warning to include all El Abuelito brand cheeses until more information is known. According to the firm’s website, this includes queso fresco, Oaxaca cheese, cotija cheese, and crema." Whole genome sequencing has linked El Abuelito queso fresco cheese to the outbreak. On February 19, 2021, tests conducted by the Connecticut State Laboratory determined that the Listeria monocytogenes found in a sample of the cheese purchased at a grocery store in that state is a match to the outbreak strain. El Abuelito Cheese recalled … [Read more...]
El Abuelito Is Recalling Queso Fresco For Possible Listeria Contamination
El Abuelito is recalling Queso Fresco cheese products because of possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. There is a current ongoing multistate Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that has sickened seven people in four states that the FDA and CDC say is linked to Hispanic style soft and fresh cheese. All El Abuelito Queso Fresco products with sell by dates through March 28, 2021 (032821) have been recalled. The products are sold as El Abuelito Cheese brand, which was distributed in Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York; Rio Grande Food Products brand, which was sold in Virginia, North Carolina, and Maryland; and Rio Lindo brand, which was distributed in North Carolina and Maryland. The products were distributed through February 16, 2021 and were available in … [Read more...]
El Abuelito Cheese Listeria Sample Matches Outbreak Strain
The El Abuelito cheese Listeria monocytogenes sample matches the outbreak strain, according to a notice from the FDA. The Connecticut Department of Public Health collected product samples of that cheese where a sick person who lives in that state bought cheeses. Sample analysis found the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in samples of El Abuelito Queso Fresco cheese that was sold in 10 ounce packages, marked as Lot A027 with an expiration date of 02/26/2021. On February 19, 2021, whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis that was conducted by the Connecticut State Laboratory found that the Listeria monocytogenes found in the samples is a match to the outbreak strain. On February 19, 2021, El Abuelito Cheese of Paterson, New Jersey recalled all Queso Fresco products with "sell by" … [Read more...]
CDC Updates Hispanic Style Cheese Listeria Outbreak Investigation
The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated their Hispanic style cheese Listeria outbreak investigation with new information from the Connecticut Department of Health. On February 16, 2021, Connecticut officials found Listeria in samples of El Albuelito queso fresco cheese that was collected from a store where a patient diagnosed with listeriosis shopped. Investigators are working to confirmed that the Listeria bacteria found in this queso fresco cheese is the same pathogen that is making people sick. They are using whole genome sequencing (WGS) that maps the DNA of the bacteria. The results should be known soon. The case count still stands at seven sick. Those people live in Maryland (4), Connecticut (1), New York (1), and Virginia (1). All seven patients … [Read more...]
El Abuelito Cheese Listeria Warning Letter Sent by FDA in June 2020
An El Abuelito Cheese Listeria warning letter was sent to the company by the FDA in June, 2020. This is the brand that may be associated with the current Listeria monocytogenes outbreak linked to Hispanic-style soft and fresh cheeses that has sickened seven people in four states, according to testing conducted by the Connecticut Department of Health. The letter states that after an FDA inspection, a Form FDA-483 was issued that found the facility was not in compliance with the Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation (CGMP & PC). Government officials found "serious violations" of the CGMP & PC rule, according to the El Abuelito Cheese Listeria warning letter, because the owner, operator, or agent in … [Read more...]
