More Cheese Recalled: CT Adds Another Brand To Contaminated List

CONNECTICUT — State health officials have added a second brand to its contaminated cheese warning.

The state Department of Public Health is advising consumers, restaurants and retailers not to eat, serve or sell any soft cheeses produced by El Abuelito Cheese Company of Paterson, New Jersey, due to laboratory findings that confirm the product is the source of a multistate outbreak of foodborne bacteria called listeria monocytogenes.

Last week, the department identified the brand El Abuelito Queso Fresco as the contaminated cheese that has hospitalized one Connecticut resident.

The latest update also expands the previous recall to now include all fresh cheese products with expiration dates through Mar. 28, 2021. The products are marketed under the El Abuelito Cheese brand, distributed in Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York; the Rio Grande Food Products brand, distributed in Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland; and Río Lindo distributed in North Carolina and Maryland. The products were distributed until Feb. 16, 2021, and were available in supermarkets, wholesale and retail stores.

Read More: Bestselling Author Chronicles CT Youth Team In New Book

• CT Police Chiefs Oppose Bill To Legalize Marijuana
• CT Health Officials Identify Contaminated Cheese Brand

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, pregnant women and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, listeria infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths and fetal infection among pregnant women.

Because these products may still be in consumer’s refrigerators, the department encouraged consumers to check any fresh cheese they may have to determine if it included in this recall. Customers and food establishments who still have the product should not consume or serve it and should discard it immediately or return it to the place of purchase for a refund.