Eight people across Maryland, New York, and Virginia have been sickened; 7 were hospitalized and 1 has died
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Clover Hill Dairy of Mechanicsville, Maryland, has recalled all of its requesón/soft ricotta cheese products after federal health authorities linked them to a deadly multi-state listeria outbreak that has been ongoing since 2023. The CDC and FDA announced the outbreak on June 4, 2026.
According to the FDA, the outbreak spans three states — Maryland, New York, and Virginia — with a total of eight confirmed infections involving the same Listeria monocytogenes strain. The collection window for clinical samples from ill patients extended from March 6, 2023, through May 9, 2026. Seven people have been hospitalized and one person in Maryland has died.
The investigation began on May 13, 2026, when the Suffolk County Health Department in New York told state agriculture officials about two related listeria cases in one family. The family had bought food from a retailer in Brentwood, New York. Investigators collected five cheese samples from the store, and one repackaged requesón tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. Whole genome sequencing showed that the bacteria from the cheese matched the strain that made the family sick. Inspectors traced the supply chain to the retailer's cheese distributor, and a visit on May 27 identified Clover Hill Dairy LLC in Mechanicsville, Maryland, as the producer. Listeria monocytogenes was also found in a sealed, unopened 18-pound bucket of Clover Hill Dairy requesón, but genome sequencing to confirm the strain is still pending.
Clover Hill Dairy issued a voluntary recall on June 3. State regulators at the Maryland Department of Health revoked Clover Hill Dairy's operating license while an on-site evaluation of the facility gets underway. The FDA said it is in the early stages of the investigation and that additional products may be implicated.
Every variety of requesón produced by Clover Hill Dairy is covered by the recall, spanning plain versions as well as those made with jalapeño or other added flavorings. The cheese is sold at the company's retail market in Maryland, at farmers markets, and through third-party distributors in New York and Virginia. Shoppers may not see the Clover Hill Dairy name at all, since the cheese can be repackaged and sold under other labels; the FDA advises checking the packaging for permit number "24-128" as the reliable way to identify affected product.
If you have bought the recalled cheese, do not eat, sell, or serve it. Throw it away right away. Clean any refrigerator shelves, drawers, containers, or countertops that touched the cheese, because Listeria monocytogenes can survive in cold places and spread to other foods. Until the source is confirmed, the FDA advises people at higher risk, such as those who are pregnant, have weakened immune systems, or are over 65, to avoid queso fresco-style cheeses completely.
Listeriosis can develop quickly after exposure or take up to 70 days to appear. If you have symptoms, contact a healthcare provider.
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