Cheese Recall Grows Amid Ongoing Listeria Outbreak Linked To MD Dairy

MARYLAND — Fallout from a cheese recall tied to an ongoing listeria outbreak linked to a Maryland dairy farm continues to grow as a Latin market in Montgomery County said it's pulling several items from its shelves.

La Ceiba Foods Latin Market Inc. recently announced a recall of Salvadoran and Mexican cottage cheese products in response to an earlier recall by its local supplier, Clover Hill Dairy.

Both recalls were in response to a listeria outbreak that has impacted the dairy farm for years. Officials previously stated the strain of Listeria monocytogenes was tied to at least one death.

A release issued by La Ceiba Foods states the impacted products were marketed under the following brand names: La Colonia and Selectos Latinos.

The market's products were sold at supermarkets, retail stores and restaurants across Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Below is a chart listing all of the products recalled by La Ceiba Foods in response to the listeria outbreak.

Recalled products were distributed between May 11 and June 1. Each item includes an expiration date of July 10.

La Ceiba Foods has one store in Rockville, at 647 Lofstrand Lane.

What's Happening With Clover Hill Dairy?

The most recent tally released by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration states Clover Hill Dairy products were linked to at least one death and 12 illnesses.

Officials previously indicated the Listeria monocytogenes strain detected at the Clover Hill Dairy was also tied to at least eight hospitalizations across several states.

Related:

• Recall Expanded For MD Dairy Products As Popular Sauce Gets Flagged
• MD Dairy Recalls Cheese Products Over Listeria Risk

The Maryland Department of Health previously told Patch the documented death occurred in Maryland and dates back to 2023.

Residents can identify Clover Hill Dairy's voluntarily recalled cheese products by its manufacturer permit number: 24-128.

While the investigation into the listeria outbreak at the Mechanicsville dairy remains ongoing, the business has had its operating license suspended in the interim.

The dairy's products were sold not only from its retail market but also at farmers' markets and third-party vendors in New York and Virginia.

Listeria Monocytogenes Complications

Officials say that when listeria bacteria are consumed, individuals can develop the life-threatening listeriosis disease.

Listeria can cause symptoms ranging from fevers to muscle aches, confusion, convulsions and pregnancy loss.

The bacteria, which grow in unsanitary environments, can also lead to listeriosis months after a contaminated food is eaten.

Consumers are advised not to consume, sell, or serve the recalled products. Products must be returned to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions can contact the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission, on behalf of Clover Hill Dairy, at 240-528-8850 extension 327, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET.