FDA Updates Soft Cheese Listeria Outbreak: What Shoppers Should Check Now
The FDA says shoppers should check for certain Clover Hill Dairy soft ricotta and requeson products tied to a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak investigation. If you bought one of these cheeses, do not eat it. Discard it or return it to the store, and clean anything it may have touched in your refrigerator, on counters, or with utensils.
This update matters most for households with pregnant people, newborns, older adults, and anyone with a weakened immune system. Listeria can be especially serious for those groups, so even a small amount of contaminated cheese should be treated as a take-it-out-of-the-fridge-now problem.
What product to check
According to the FDA’s outbreak investigation page, the products to watch for are Clover Hill Dairy soft ricotta or requeson cheeses connected to the June 2026 Listeria investigation. Shoppers should compare the package name, brand, package size, lot code, best-by or use-by date, and UPC against the FDA notice before serving or buying more.
The FDA notice identifies the affected products and distribution details, including the states where they were sold. Because this is a multi-state food safety issue, it is worth checking not only the main refrigerator but also party leftovers, deli containers, and any cheese stored in the freezer for later use.
What the FDA says happened
The FDA’s outbreak page links the Clover Hill Dairy cheese products to a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak investigation. The agency’s consumer guidance is straightforward: do not eat the product, do not sell or serve it, and throw it away or return it according to the recall instructions. If you are unsure whether your package matches, check the official product identifiers before using it.
As of the FDA notice, the outbreak investigation includes reported illnesses. Readers should treat the update seriously and keep checking FDA follow-up notices if they may have purchased the cheese.
What to do now
- Stop using any Clover Hill Dairy soft ricotta or requeson product that matches the FDA notice.
- Discard it or return it to the retailer if the notice says returns are accepted.
- Wash hands after handling the package.
- Clean and sanitize shelves, drawers, containers, and utensils that touched the cheese.
- If the cheese was used in a dish, clean nearby surfaces and avoid serving leftovers made with the affected product.
Who is at higher risk
Pregnant people, newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems face the greatest risk from Listeria. For those households, it is especially important to check the refrigerator carefully and not take chances with soft cheese that may match the notice.
If this product may be in your kitchen, the safest next step is simple: check the FDA notice, compare the package details, and remove any match right away. For any follow-up changes, use the FDA’s outbreak update page as the source of truth.
