Buzz
Cheese lovers, take a moment to check your fridge. El Abuelito Cheese from Paterson, NJ has issued a recall on all of its queso fresco, quesillo, and requeson cheeses due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, as stated by the FDA. Here's what you need to know about the recall, including which products are impacted, where they were sold, and steps to take if you've bought them.
Which cheeses are being recalled?
The recall includes three varieties of cheese made by El Abuelito Cheese:
- The recall includes the following cheeses with specific sell-by dates:
Queso fresco (fresh, soft cheese) with sell-by dates through March 28, 2021
Quesillo (Oaxaca, string cheese) with sell-by dates through April 16, 2021
Requeson (ricotta) with sell-by dates through March 14, 2021
As of February 26, 10 cases of illness and nine hospitalizations across four states have been linked to the contaminated cheeses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Although all the products were manufactured in the same plant, they were sold under the “El Abuelito Cheese” brand in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Additionally, they were distributed as “Rio Grande Food Products” in Virginia, North Carolina, and Maryland, and “Rio Lindo” cheeses in North Carolina and Maryland.
The FDA has also identified that these cheeses were distributed under other brands, including Viejito, El Paisano, El Sabrosito, La Cima, Quesos Finos, San Carlos, and Ideal, although the specific locations for these brands are not mentioned.
The recalled cheeses were sold in supermarkets, wholesale, and retail outlets. As of February 27, the FDA believes that numerous retail stores in five states—Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania—received the affected El Abuelito brand products. A full list of these establishments is available here.
The FDA warns that this list may not cover all retail locations that received the recalled products, and some stores may be listed even if they didn’t receive the affected items. To be sure, it's essential to use the specific product details, like the UPC codes, which can be found here and here. Furthermore, the FDA has not released a list of stores where El Abuelito cheese was sold under other brand names.
What exactly is Listeria monocytogenes?
Listeria monocytogenes is a serious pathogen. It can lead to a range of unpleasant short-term symptoms in otherwise healthy individuals, such as high fever, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
However, Listeria monocytogenes can also cause severe and sometimes deadly infections in vulnerable groups such as young children, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems. The infection poses a particular risk for pregnant individuals, according to the FDA, as it can lead to miscarriages or stillbirths.
What should you do if you’ve bought the recalled cheese?
If you've purchased any of the recalled cheeses, do not consume them. Instead, return the items to the store where you bought them for a full refund. Additionally, the FDA advises that you thoroughly clean and sanitize any surfaces or containers that might have come into contact with these products to minimize the risk of cross-contamination. This is crucial because listeria can thrive in refrigerated conditions and easily spread to other foods and surfaces.
If you have any questions, consumers can reach El Abuelito Cheese at (973) 345-3503, available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. EST.
