Federal health authorities are warning consumers to discard or return requesón and soft ricotta cheese made by Clover Hill Dairy, LLC of Mechanicsville, Md., after investigators linked the products to an active, multi-state Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that has sent eight of nine confirmed patients to the hospital and killed one.

As of June 9, 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recorded nine cases of the outbreak strain across three states — Maryland, New York, and Virginia, each reporting three illnesses — spanning a collection window from March 6, 2023, through May 10, 2026. That three-year range indicates low-level, ongoing contamination at the source rather than a single-batch event.

Genomic link established

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets collected requesón samples from a store where ill patients had shopped. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) confirmed the cheese harbored the identical strain isolated from clinical cases, providing the definitive epidemiological link that triggered the June 3, 2026 voluntary recall and, days later, the Maryland Department of Health’s suspension of Clover Hill Dairy’s operating license.

Who is at risk

Listeriosis disproportionately affects specific populations: pregnant individuals (in whom infection can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening newborn infection), adults aged 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems. The general healthy adult population faces much lower risk of serious illness, though anyone who has consumed the recalled product and develops fever, muscle aches, or stiff neck should contact a healthcare provider.

What was sold and where

Recalled products were distributed from May 4 through May 30, 2026, across Maryland, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Washington, D.C. Retail clamshell containers of 10, 12, and 14 ounces carry the Clover Hill Dairy brand and plant number 24-128. Bulk cheese sold in two- and five-gallon pails may have been repackaged under distributor labels including KESSO, QUESOS LA RICURA, IZALCO, DE MI PUEBLO, and RIO LINDO. A separate distributor recall — Nelson & Isa Lacteos, LLC of Bay Shore, N.Y. — covers one-pound clamshells sold at New York retail locations between May 15 and May 28, 2026.

Action for consumers: Do not eat any Clover Hill Dairy requesón or soft ricotta cheese, or any soft cheese sold under the distributor brand names listed above purchased within the distribution window. Return the product to the place of purchase or discard it. Clean and sanitize any refrigerator surfaces that may have contacted the cheese. If you have eaten any of these products and feel ill, contact your healthcare provider.

The CDC and FDA investigation remains ongoing. Additional products may be implicated as environmental and product testing continues.