Check Your Fridge: FDA Links Clover Hill Dairy Soft Ricotta/Requeson Cheese to June 2026 Listeria Outbreak
The FDA is warning shoppers to check for Clover Hill Dairy soft ricotta/requeson cheese after linking the product to a June 2026 Listeria monocytogenes outbreak. If you have it at home, do not eat it. Throw it away and clean any surfaces, containers, or fridge spots it touched.
This recall matters because Listeria can cause serious illness, especially in pregnant people, newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. In the FDA update, the outbreak was tied to reported illnesses, hospitalizations, and a death, so this is not a notice to put off until the next grocery run.
What to look for
Check your refrigerator and freezer for Clover Hill Dairy soft ricotta/requeson cheese. The FDA notice links the product to a June 3 recall and a June 4 update in the ongoing outbreak investigation. The affected product was distributed in Maryland, New York, and Virginia.
Look closely at any package that matches the FDA notice, including the manufacturer and plant information, lot or date details, and package identifiers listed in the official alert. If the packaging is missing, torn, or unreadable, do not assume the cheese is safe. If you cannot confirm it is not the recalled product, discard it.
What to do now
- Do not eat it.
- Throw it away in a sealed bag or wrapped so children and pets cannot reach it.
- Wash hands after handling the package or anything it touched.
- Clean and sanitize refrigerator shelves, drawers, containers, and utensils that may have come in contact with the cheese.
- Check frozen items too. If the cheese was frozen and you cannot identify it with packaging or clear markings, discard it rather than guessing.
Do not taste the cheese to check it. Do not trim off the outside and keep the rest. Do not cook it as a safety test. Those steps do not reliably make a Listeria-contaminated product safe.
Why Listeria is especially concerning
Unlike some foodborne germs, Listeria monocytogenes can be dangerous even when a food looks and smells normal. It can also be especially risky in pregnancy because it can affect both the pregnant person and the baby. That is why households with pregnant family members, older adults, newborns, or anyone who is immunocompromised should treat this recall as a top-priority fridge check.
If someone in your home already ate the cheese and feels sick, contact a medical professional and mention possible Listeria exposure. Symptoms can take time to appear, so it is better to flag the exposure early rather than wait.
Quick fridge and freezer checklist
- Look for Clover Hill Dairy soft ricotta/requeson cheese first.
- Check packages, date markings, and any plant or lot details named by the FDA.
- Discard any match immediately.
- Clean shelves, drawers, and storage containers that held it.
- When in doubt about an unmarked frozen piece, throw it out.
For families, the safest move is simple: check now, discard the recalled cheese, clean up, and move on with a safer dinner plan.
