Rizo-Lopez Foods Issues Recall Following Listeria Outbreak

Manufacturer Rizo-Lopez foods has issued a recall of a number of their products, including yogurt, sour cream, cotija cheese as well as other cheeses under various brand names following an outbreak of Listeria related sicknesses. This outbreak has spanned a decade long and has ultimately seen a result of two deaths and over 20 hospitalizations around the country.

An advisory has been issued by the Food and Drug Administration for consumers to not eat any of the recalled products and as well to discard any product that has been purchased. Additionally, the advisory goes on to say that consumers who purchased any of the recalled products should thoroughly clean and sanitize any surfaces or containers that the recalled product may have made contact with.

What is Listeria?

Listeria is an infection that typically occurs when food tainted with Listeria monocytogenes bacterium is consumed. It has been ranked among the third most common cause of death from food borne illnesses in the United States.

In addition to cheese, past instances of listeria outbreaks have been linked to deli meats, packaged salads and mushrooms.

It has been noted by the FDA that mild symptoms of listeria may be accompanied by a fever and vomiting while those experiencing severe infections may experience loss of balance and convulsions.

What you should know

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the listeria outbreak’s origins can be traced back as far as 2014. Despite investigations that occurred in 2017 and 2021 which pointed to soft cheese, including queso fresco as a potential culprit, the CDC was unable to pinpoint a specific brand involved.

In January, the CDC’s investigation was reopened following reports of new illnesses the previous month. A sample containing the strain was identified by the CDC in which they discovered queso fresco and cotija manufactured by Rizo Lopez Foods are making people sick.

In response to this, on January 11, Rizo Lopez Foods initiated a recall of their aged cotija cheese product. This recall occurred following a discovery of listeria being detected by state officials in Hawaii. In total, the company recalled 58 various cheese and dairy products. As the investigation continues to unfold, Rizo Lopez Foods has made the decision to halt the production and distribution of their products.

States Where Listeria Cases Have Been Reported

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported 26 individuals across 11 states have contracted the listeria outbreak strain. Among that number, 23 were hospitalized and 2 died. Additionally, it was reported that one person suffered a pregnancy loss caused by the illness.