Several large retailers, including Costco and Trader Joe’s, announced the recall of Rizo-López Foods Inc. brand dairy products. due to possible contamination with Listeria.
A week ago, the alert was issued on fresh cheese, Cotija cheese and other dairy products manufactured by Rizo López Foods Inc., a family business in Modesto, California, due to possible contamination with Listeria Monocytogenes.
Given this situation, The company recalled dozens of dairy products last week after they were identified as the source of a Listeria outbreak. in several states that caused two deaths and 23 hospitalizations.
However, the recall has been expanded to include additional products made with recalled yogurt, sour cream and cheese, such as dressings, sandwiches and salad kits.
Even products like bean dip, chicken enchiladas, cilantro dressing, and taco packets sold at stores like Costco, Trader Joe’s, and Albertson’s are part of growing product recalls by Rizo Lopez Foods, Inc. .
Although the Listeria outbreak has been investigated twice before, once in 2017 and again in 2021, the CDC said it did not have enough data to identify the source of the outbreak so far.
Recent interviews with sick people and examinations of the facilities led the CDC to identify fresh cheese and Cotija cheese made by Rizo-López Foods as the source of the illnesses.
This is not the first recall of Rizo-López Foods Inc. products related to Listeria, according to the CDC investigation. The company recalled its aged Cotija cheese from the market in early January after Hawaii state officials found Listeria in the product.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), dairy products made by Rizo Lopez Foods are estimated to be the source of the listeria outbreak that has killed two people and sickened more than two. dozens since 2014.
However, authorities warn that the scale of the outbreak may be larger than currently reported numbers, as some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Listeria.
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that can cause serious, sometimes fatal, infections in young children, older people, and people with weakened immune systems. Listeria infection in pregnant people can cause miscarriages and stillbirths, the CDC said. Healthy people may experience only short-term symptoms.
The infection may manifest as fever, muscle aches, excessive tiredness, severe headache, nausea, stomach pain or diarrhea. Symptoms usually begin two weeks after eating contaminated food, but can begin as early as the same day or up to 10 weeks later, according to the CDC.
According to authorities, consumers should contact their healthcare provider immediately if they experience any of the symptoms listed above after eating the recalled dairy products.
The products to be recalled include different types of cheese, yogurt and sour cream sold under the brands Tío Francisco, Don Francisco, Rizo Bros, Río Grande, Food City, El Huache, La Ordeña, San Carlos, Campesino, Santa María, Dos Ranchitos, Casa Cárdenas and 365 Whole Foods Market.
Besides, Users were encouraged to check their refrigerators and freezers for any of the products and discard them immediately. They should also clean the refrigerator and any containers or surfaces that may have come into contact with the recalled products, as Listeria can survive in the refrigerator and spread to other foods and surfaces, the CDC said.
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