A California cheese and dairy company is the source of a decade-long outbreak of listeria food poisoning that killed at least two people and sickened more than two dozen across 11 states.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that several queso fresco, Cotija cheese and yogurt products made by Rizo-López Food and sold in stores across the United States, including under the Whole Foods brand, are linked to the outbreak.
The Modesto-based company is now recalling all products made in their facility.
New lab evidence linked the soft cheeses and dairy products to the outbreak, which was first detected in June 2014, according to the CDC.
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Since then, the cheese products have sickened at least 26 people in 11 states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and Washington.
"[The] CDC reopened the investigation in January 2024 after new illnesses were reported in December 2023 and the outbreak strain was found in a cheese sample from Rizo-López Foods," the CDC said.
What brands were recalled?
On Monday, Rizo-López Food recalled more than 60 soft cheeses, yogurt and sour cream sold under the following brands. For the full list of affected products, click here.
- Tio Francisco
- Don Francisco
- Rizo Bros
- Rio Grande
- Food City
- El Huache
- La Ordena
- San Carlos
- Campesino
- Santa Maria
- Dos Ranchitos
- Casa Cardenas
- 365 Whole Foods Market
If you have bought any of these products, the CDC urges consumers to not eat them. You can throw them away or return them to the store where you bought them.
Where were the products sold?
The recalled products were distributed nationwide at stores and retail deli counters, including:
- Cardenas Market
- El Super
- Northgate Gonzalez
- Superior Groceries
- El Rancho
- Vallarta
- Food City
- La Michoacana
- Numero Uno Markets
- El Super
Consumers should also clean their refrigerators, containers and surfaces that may have touched the recalled products, as listeria can survive and easily spread to other foods.
Listeria infections can cause serious illness and, in rare cases, death. It is especially harmful to people who are pregnant; are 65 years and older; or have weakened immune systems, according to the CDC.
Symptoms usually start within two weeks after eating food contaminated with listeria.
The main symptoms are fever, muscle aches and tiredness. Symptoms could also include a headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or seizures for people who are not pregnant.
If you have any symptoms, the CDC is urging consumers to call a healthcare provider right away.
