A New FDA Alert Concerns Cheese Products Sold at Costco That May Contain Listeria

The number of recalls involving queso fresco and cotija cheese has increased recently as more businesses have come out to claim that their goods included possibly tainted cheese products.

Following an advisory from the CDC warning the public not to eat any affected Rizo Lopez Foods, Inc. cotija cheese, creams, or milk products, an FDA recall was issued.

Read further below about the recalled products sold at Walmart and Costco!

1. The CDC Has Warned from Cheese Products Sold at Costco 

According to a report released by the CDC the previous week, the recalled cheese products may have been the cause of 26 illnesses and two fatalities. Listeria monocytogenes contamination was a possible concern for several goods, according to the CDC. 

Eight infections have been recorded from California, according to the agency, out of the 11 states where incidents have been documented. Chicken street taco kits and readymade wraps from Costco are among the most recent items to be recalled.

Additional products covered by the recall were the Chipotle Chicken & Rice Bowl from Maverick Foods that was sold at Costco. Furthermore, the Mexican Style Street Corn Bites that were also available in Costco stores were withdrawn from store shelves.

2. Walmart Stores Also Have Recalled Products to Avoid

The Bacon Ranch Crunch Shredded Salad Kit by Braga Fresh and the one from Taylor Fresh Foods are among the recalled products sold at Walmart. The revised product list was released a few days after Trader Joe’s declared that a number of their goods had been withdrawn from store shelves. 

The FDA official website has a comprehensive list of all the goods that have been included in the recall.

3. Symptoms of Listeria Monocytogenes from Contaminated Food

After consuming any contaminated food or fall victim to a cross-contamination case, listeria monocytogenes complaints often appear two weeks later, although they can sometimes appear the same night or up to ten weeks later. 

Fever, pains in the muscles, nausea, fatigue, and irregular bowel movements are examples of mild symptoms. Migraines, neck stiffness, disorientation, loss of equilibrium, and seizure are possible symptoms in worser instances. 

If any of the goods on the FDA official website’s list are found in clients’ coolers or fridges, they should be thrown out. Make sure you completely wipe every surface the contaminated food might have touched because listeria can propagate to other foods and materials and even linger in the fridge.

4. Earlier Sample Investigations Disclosed the Listeria Outbreak

The CDC claimed that although it has looked into the current outbreak twice previously, in 2017 and 2021, there was insufficient information at the time to pinpoint where it originated.

Following the results of a test for listeria on a portion of Rizo Bros aged cotija cheese a month ago, the FDA and CDC decided to resume the inquiry.