Public health officials are investigating a deadly Listeria outbreak traced to requeson, a soft cheese similar to ricotta.
The multi-state, multi-year outbreak began in 2023 and has sickened eight people across three states — Maryland, New York and Virginia — according to the Food and Drug Administration. Lab samples were collected from sick people from March 6, 2023, through May 9 this year. There have been seven hospitalizations and one death.
Distribution of the implicated cheese has been confirmed in New York, Maryland and Virginia, but it may have been further distributed.
Of seven people interviewed, five reported eating cheese before becoming sick and two reported eating requeson made by Clover Hill Dairy.
On May 13, the Suffolk County Health Department in New York notified the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets of two related Listeria monocytogenes illnesses from the same family, who had purchased food from a local retailer in Brentwood, NY.
The following day, the New York State Department of Health confirmed that both patients had consumed requeson cheese purchased at that retailer.
Investigators from the state agricultural department tested five cheese samples collected from the retailer. One sample of requeson that had been repacked by the retailer tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, and whole genome sequencing (WGS) confirmed the strain of Listeria found in the requeson cheese matches the strain of Listeria causing illnesses in the two New York patients who reported purchasing cheese from this retailer.
On May 27, the agriculture department conducted an inspection at the retailer’s cheese distributor, which identified Clover Hill Dairy LLC of Mechanicsville, MD, as the requeson cheese manufacturer. A sample collected from an unopened 18-pound sealed bucket of requeson manufactured by Clover Hill Dairy LLC also tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes; WGS analysis is pending.
On June 3, Clover Hill Dairy LLC issued a voluntary recall of its requeson/soft ricotta products.
Due to the public health risk, the Maryland Department of Health has suspended the Clover Hill Dairy LLC’s operating license, issued a Consumer Advisory, and is conducting a follow up evaluation in cooperation with the facility.
According to the Maryland consumer advisory, Clover Hill Dairy products are sold directly from their retail market, at farmers markets, and through third- party distributors, including in New York and Virginia. Some varieties may have jalapeño or other flavors. Products may be relabeled under a different brand name when distributed, so consumers are urged to check the manufacturer information on packages, if available. The label should identify the Clover Hill Dairy manufacturer permit (or plant) number as “24-128”.
FDA is in the early stages of this investigation, additional products may be impacted, and further testing by FDA and state partners is underway.