El Abuelito is expanding its recall of queso fresco cheeses on February 19, 2021 to include El Abuelito Quesillo and Requeson cheeses in addition to recalling all Queso Fresco products for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Queso fresco is fresh, soft cheese; Quesillo is Oaxaca and string cheese; and Requeson is ricotta. There is a multistate Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that has sickened at least 10 people in four states that is linked to some El Abuelito queso fresco cheese products through whole genome sequencing conducted by the Connecticut Department of Health. Nine of those patients have been hospitalized, and two of the illnesses are pregnancy-related. All Queso Fresco products with sell by dates through March 28, 2021 (032821); all Quesillo products with … [Read more...]
El Abuelito Quesillo and Requeson Cheese Recalled in Listeria Outbreak
The FDA and CDC are investigating a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to El Abuelito queso fresco cheese. As part of this investigation and after an on-site inspection, the government is now recommending that consumers avoid El Abuelito Quesillo and Requeson cheese as well. El Abuelito Quesillo (Oxaca, string cheese), and Requeson (Ricotta) cheeses are manufactured or handled in the same facility as the Queso Fresco products that are linked through whole genome sequencing to this outbreak. This recommendation does not include any additional products with the El Abuelito brand because they are not manufactured or handled in the same facility. This includes El Abuelito Meat, Panela cheese, cotija cheese, mole, crema centroamericana, and crema … [Read more...]
CDC: Do Not Eat El Abuelito Cheese For Possible Listeria Contamination
The CDC is joining the FDA in warning the public: do not eat El Abuelito cheese because it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. The cheese is linked, through whole genome sequencing testing, to the outbreak strain of Listeria that has sickened ten people in four states. Earlier this month Connecticut officials found the outbreak strain of Listeria in samples of El Abuelito queso fresco cheese that was taken from a store where an ill person bought that cheese. The government says that other El Abuelito cheeses that were made or handled in the same facility as the queso fresco cheese have not been recalled, but officials are concerned that they may be contaminated and could make people sick. Investigators are trying to determine whether or not all cheese 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...]
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...]
Connecticut Warns of Listeria in El Abuelito Queso Fresco Cheese; One Ill
The Connecticut Department of Public Health is warning consumers that there is Listeria in El Abuelito Queso Fresco cheese. Laboratory testing found the pathogen in one lot of that cheese that was collected from a Connecticut retail food store last week. One Connecticut resident is sick after allegedly eating that brand. There is a multistate Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that is linked to Hispanic-style soft and fresh cheeses that the FDA and CDC announced late last week. Seven people in four states are sick in that outbreak; one of the patients lives in Connecticut. The others live in Maryland (4), New York (1), and Virginia (1). Connecticut Department of Health officials are advising consumers not to eat any El Abuelito Queso Fresco cheese until further notice. And also … [Read more...]
New Listeria Outbreak Associated With Hispanic-Style Fresh Soft Cheeses
A new Listeria outbreak has been announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Hispanic-style fresh and soft cheeses have allegedly sickened seven people in four states as of February 11, 2021. No recall has been issued yet. The patient case count by state is: Connecticut (1), Maryland (4), New York (1), and Virginia (1). All seven patients have been hospitalized because they are so sick. No one has died. Illness onset dates range from October 20, 2020 to January 22, 2021. Six of those sickened got sick in 2021. The patient age range is from 45 to 75 years. Six of those sickened are of Hispanic origin. State and local public health officials are interviewing people about what they ate during the month before they started feeling sick. Of the four people who … [Read more...]
CDC Report: Salmonella Newport Shows Decreased Sensitivity to Azithromycin
In the current CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly report, some bacteria in a Salmonella Newport outbreak that was linked to beef and to a cheese imported from Mexico had decreased susceptibility to azithromycin and nonsusceptibility to ciprofloxacin. This susceptibility has emerged recently, because that serotype with decreased susceptibility to azithromycin wasn't found in any isolates in the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) surveillance before 2016. A genetically distinct group of MDR Newport isolates was identified in the two outbreaks. This resistance is rare among Salmonella serotypes that cause illness in the United States. Azithromycin is recommended to treat Salmonella infections orally; until 2017, decreased susceptibility to this antibiotic … [Read more...]
