Clover Hill Dairy is recalling all its cheese after health officials in the US state of Maryland expanded a warning over possible listeria contamination.
On Sunday (14 June), the Maryland Department of Health said the recall now covers every cheese made at the Mechanicsville, Maryland, facility.
The company has agreed to carry out a voluntary recall across its full cheese range, the state health department added.
The department had earlier issued a consumer advisory on 3 June covering Clover Hill Dairy requesón and soft ricotta products.
It also suspended the plant’s operating licence on 30 May “due to the public health risk” and said on Sunday it is “continuing a follow-up evaluation in cooperation with the facility”.
The latest recall applies to more than two dozen products, including soft and semi-soft cheeses covering varieties such as cuajada, ricotta/requeson, and jalapeño soft ricotta.
It affects milder cheeses, including white cheddar, white colby, Monterey Jack, and marble jack.
The recall also includes smoked varieties, flavoured products such as horseradish and Old Bay cheddar and pepper cheeses like jalapeño cheddar, pepper jack, and Sizzlin’ Colby.
The recalled products were sold through Clover Hill Dairy’s own retail outlet, farmers markets and third-party distributors.
Sales extended to Maryland, Virginia, Washington, DC, North Carolina, New York and New Jersey.
Officials said some items may have been sold under alternative labels, including Kesso, Izalco and Rio Lindo.
Consumers have been advised to check packaging for manufacturer permit number “24-128”, where available, to identify products made by Clover Hill Dairy.
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that contaminates food, grows under refrigeration and spreads easily.
It causes listeriosis, a disease ranging from mild flu-like symptoms to severe neurological issues.
Pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and individuals with weakened immune systems face the highest risk of severe illness.
In the statement, health authorities said whole genome sequencing has linked nine people in several states to the outbreak strain.
One death in Maryland in 2023 has also been connected to the same strain.
Last week, Nara Organics initiated a nationwide recall of all lots of its powdered infant formula on the US market because of a link with botulism cases.
According to the Food and Drug Administration and the Center for Disease Control (CDC), three botulism cases have been reported in babies from consuming Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Infant Formula.
The CDC said the cases were reported in California, Pennsylvania and Washington in babies aged from two to five months. No deaths have been reported.
