Deadly Multistate Listeria Outbreak Linked to Clover Hill Dairy Soft Cheese — Recall Issued

Federal health officials have linked a deadly multistate Listeria monocytogenes outbreak to soft ricotta/requeson cheese produced by Maryland-based Clover Hill Dairy and have issued a voluntary recall while investigating distribution.

Outbreak Overview

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on June 4 that eight people in three states became ill in the ongoing investigation. Seven of the eight patients required hospitalization (an 87.5% hospitalization rate) and one death has been reported. Officials warn that additional illnesses may be identified as the investigation continues.

How the Source Was Identified

Using whole genome sequencing, investigators linked the illnesses to soft cheese produced by Clover Hill Dairy. Two people in New York became sick after consuming the cheese in May, and laboratory testing showed the outbreak strain matched one first identified in March 2023. Environmental and product testing at Clover Hill's facility detected Listeria in an unopened, sealed 18-pound bucket of requeson (a form of soft ricotta).

Recall And Distribution

Clover Hill Dairy has issued a voluntary recall for all its soft ricotta/requeson cheeses, which may include flavored varieties (for example, jalapeño). The FDA cautions the cheese may have been repackaged or relabeled, so consumers should check the package for the Clover Hill Dairy manufacturer/plant permit number: 24-128.

To date, the recalled product has been confirmed as sold directly by Clover Hill Dairy in Maryland and through farmers' markets and third-party distributors in New York and Virginia. The FDA is tracing distribution and believes the cheese may have reached additional locations.

Confirmed Cases By State (As Of June 4)

• Maryland: 3 cases
• New York: 2 cases
• Virginia: 3 cases

What Consumers Should Do

• Do not eat any recalled Clover Hill soft ricotta/requeson cheeses. Discard them in a sealed container or return them to the place of purchase.
• If you are unsure whether a product is affected, check packaging for the manufacturer/plant number 24-128 or contact the seller.
• Clean and sanitize refrigerators, containers and surfaces that may have contacted the recalled cheese. First wash with warm, soapy water, then sanitize with a solution of 1 tablespoon household chlorine bleach per 1 gallon of water.
• Wash hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food or possibly contaminated surfaces.
• Businesses that handled the cheese should follow FDA and state guidance for cleaning, disposal and notification.

Health Risks And Symptoms

Listeriosis is a serious infection caused by Listeria monocytogenes. It can be life-threatening, particularly for adults aged 65 and older, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant people. Infection in pregnancy may cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.

Symptoms usually begin within two weeks of eating contaminated food, but onset can range from the same day up to 10 weeks later. Common symptoms include fever, muscle aches and headache. More severe signs include stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and seizures. Gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea may also occur.

If you are in a high-risk group and develop flu-like or other symptoms within two months of consuming suspect cheese, seek medical attention promptly and tell your provider about the possible exposure.

Ongoing Investigation

Maryland regulators have suspended Clover Hill Dairy's operating license pending further investigation. The CDC and FDA continue to trace product distribution and monitor for additional cases. Officials will update the public as new information becomes available.

For official guidance and the latest recall details, visit the FDA and CDC websites or contact your local health department.

Deli meat is somewhat of a "risky" food as it is often associated with the spread of listeria, such as in the 2024 case of theBoar's Head listeria outbreakthat killed 10. Listeria monocytogenes is a hardy germ that can survive in very low temperatures but thrives in cool and damp places. It can, and will, happily live on foods in your or your grocery store's storage area, and the process for mass-producing the meat lends itself to plenty of opportunities for contamination.(Lauri Patterson, Getty Images)

Produce, like thecucumbers recalled due to a salmonellaoutbreak that infected 113 people across 23 states, can become adulterated with harmful bacteria through fecal contamination, which can occur through wastewater, water in the growing area, fertilizer and the proximity of the growing area to livestock.(Getty Images)

Raw dairy, which is always unsafe to consume and illegal to sell in some states, poses a risk when it's not pasteurized. Dairy pasteurization, or heating milk products to a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria, has been practiced since the 1920s and has resulted in illnesses commonly spread via milk, such as listeriosis, diphtheria and tuberculosis, becoming less prevalent.(Lisa Baertlein, Reuters)

Cotija and queso fresco cheese are made from unpasteurized milk, meaning they carry an increased risk. One producer,Rizo-Lopez Foods, was shut downin October 2024 after its cheeses were linked to a years-long listeria outbreak that killed two people and made dozens of others sick.(Marcos Elihu Castillo Ramirez, Getty Images)

Eggs can become contaminated via the same means as cucumbers and other raw produce, especially if they have a cracked shell.(Getty Images)

Like other raw produce, onions can become infected via fecal contamination. In 2024, E. coli-contaminated slivered onions onMcDonald's Quarter Pounderstriggered some locations to stop serving the burger temporarily.(iStockphoto, Getty Images)

Like cucumbers and onions, leafy greens are easily contaminated with bacteria like E. coli, as in the case of theSolata Foodsspinach recall in 2024.(Edalin, Getty Images)

Organic carrots were linked to amajor E. coli outbreakin late 2024, leaving at least 39 ill and one dead.(Hyrma, Getty Images)

Ready-to-eat/cooked poultry and meat have been the source of multiple major recalls and foodborne illness outbreaks in recent years. The same issue arises with RTE foods as with deli meat; the conditions they are made and stored under are often ideal for bacteria such as listeria to grow. In 2024,millions of pounds of RTE foods were recalled by BrucePacfor listeria contamination.(Getty Images)

All Clover Hill Dairy soft ricotta/requeson cheese products have been recalled in the outbreak.

Listeria cases linked to a soft cheese recall as of June 4.