El Abuelito EXPANDS Recall to Include Queso Fresco, Quesillo, and Requeson Products Because of Possible Health Risk - 3/3/21

Company Announcement Date:

February 27, 2021

FDA Publish Date:

February 27, 2021

Product Type:

Food & Beverages

Reason for Announcement:

Listeria monocytogenes

Company Name:

El Abuelito Cheese

Brand Name:

El Abuelito, El Viejito and more

Product Description:

Queso Fresco, Quesillo, and Requeson Products

El Abuelito Cheese of Paterson, NJ is recalling all Queso Fresco (Fresh, soft cheese), Quesillo (Oaxaca, string cheese), and Requeson (Ricotta) products, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, 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 monocytogenes infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.

All Queso Fresco products with sell by dates through 032821; all Quesillo (Oaxaca, string cheese) products with sell by dates through 041621; and all Requeson (Ricotta) products with sell by dates through 031421 have been recalled. The products are sold as El Abuelito Cheese brand, distributed in CT, NJ, PA, NY; Rio Grande Food Products brand, distributed in VA, NC, MD; Rio Lindo distributed in NC and MD and Viejito, El Paisano, El Sabrosito, La Cima, Quesos Finos, San Carlos, and Ideal Brands.

The products were distributed through Feb 16, 2021 and were available in supermarkets, wholesale, and retails stores.

The following products being recalled were produced at Plant #34-12179 in the following form. Retailers may have repackaged the bulk Quesillo into smaller containers and sold this repackage product to consumers. This repackaged product may not bear the original labeling and product information as described below.

As of February 27, 2021, the CDC reports ten people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes from four states.

El Abuelito has ceased the production and distribution of the product as FDA and El Abuelito continue their investigation as to what caused the problem.

As part of this outbreak investigation, the Connecticut Department of Public Health collected product samples of El Abuelito-brand Hispanic-style fresh and soft cheeses from a store where a sick person bought cheeses. On 2/19/2021, Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) analysis conducted by the Connecticut State Laboratory determined that the Listeria monocytogenes found in the samples is a match to the outbreak strain.

Consumers who have purchased the stated Queso Fresco, Quesillo (Oaxaca, string cheese), and Requeson (Ricotta) products are urged not to consume and to return product to the place of purchase for a full refund. FDA recommends that anyone who purchased or received any El Abuelito brand Quesillo, Requeson, or recalled Queso Fresco cheeses use extra vigilance in cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces and containers that may have come in contact with these products to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Listeria can survive in refrigerated temperatures and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces. Consumers with questions may contact El Abuelito Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. EST at (973) 345-3503.

RETAIL DISTRIBUTION FOR El ABUELITO BRAND QUESO FRESCO, REQUESON, AND QUESILLO PRODUCTS

FDA has reason to believe that the following retail locations received the El Abuelito Brand Queso Fresco (Fresh, soft cheese) , Quesillo (Oaxaca, string cheese), and Requeson (Ricotta) that were included in the recall by El Abuelito. These cheese products may have been cut or repacked from their original packaging. This list may not include all retail establishments that have received the recalled product or may include retail establishments that did not actually receive the recalled product. Therefore, it is important that you use the product-specific identification information, available here, in addition to this list of retail stores, when you check the food you have to see if it has been recalled.

RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS THAT RECEIVED EL ABUELITO BRAND QUESO FRESCO, QUESILLO, and REQUESON

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/el-abuelito-expands-recall-include-queso-fresco-quesillo-and-requeson-products-because-possible?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

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* We believe that none of the product being recalled were processed or offered through the national office
* We strongly encourage you to notify your agencies within one business day from receipt of this notice.
* ALL cased and uncased inventories, both at the member level and agency level, need to be checked. This product may have entered member and agency warehouses through salvage, local donations, TEFAP, local purchases, retail pickups, food drives, or other avenues.
* For additional local details, please contact the Health Department(s) for the area(s) your food bank serves.
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About Feeding America Recall Notices

The Feeding America national office issues notifications of all national Class I and II recalls–those involving a health hazard situation in which there is reasonable probability that eating the food will cause health problems or death–and other recalls that may affect the safety of food supplied to network members.

The national office strongly encourages all member product solicitors, operations managers, and others involved in food and grocery distribution to regularly consult resources provided by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at http://www.fda.gov/opacom/7alerts.html, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fsis_Recalls/index.asp. Additionally, members can often receive information on national, state, and local recalls by contacting their local health departments.

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