Maryland-based Clover Hill Dairy LLC has issued a voluntary recall of all its requesón/soft ricotta cheese products after federal testing identified Listeria monocytogenes in samples from the facility.
The recall follows a multi-state, multi-year outbreak investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Eight people in Maryland, New York, and Virginia have been sickened with the outbreak strain since 2023, resulting in seven hospitalizations and one death, per the FDA.
The FDA reported that a sample from an unopened 18-pound bucket of requesón manufactured by Clover Hill tested positive for the bacteria. Whole-genome sequencing linked the strain to illnesses, including two cases in New York in which patients consumed cheese purchased from a retailer.
“Consumers and retailers should not eat, sell, or serve recalled requesón cheese,” the FDA stated in its outbreak advisory. Products may appear under different brand names, and some varieties include flavors such as jalapeño. The manufacturer permit number “24-128” identifies affected items.
Clover Hill Dairy products reached consumers directly through its retail market in Mechanicsville, Maryland, at farmers’ markets, and via third-party distributors in New York and Virginia. Distribution may have extended further.
The Maryland Department of Health suspended the dairy’s operating license and issued a consumer advisory in coordination with the recall. The facility is undergoing further evaluation.
Listeriosis symptoms can appear within two weeks of consumption but may take up to 10 weeks. Mild cases include fever, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea. Severe cases can involve headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. Pregnant women, adults 65 and older, and those with weakened immune systems face higher risks, including miscarriage, stillbirth, or life-threatening newborn infections.
The CDC noted that of seven interviewed patients, five reported eating cheese, and two specifically mentioned Clover Hill requesón. Illness onset dates range from March 2023 to May 2026.
This is the latest in ongoing federal efforts to trace foodborne pathogens through whole-genome sequencing. The FDA said its investigation remains active, and additional products could be affected as testing continues.
No other Clover Hill products are currently implicated. Consumers who purchased the cheese are advised to discard it, even if frozen, and to clean any surfaces or containers that came into contact with the product to prevent cross-contamination. Listeria can grow in refrigerated temperatures.
