Clover Hill Dairy Recalls All Cheese in Deadly Listeria Outbreak

MONDAY, June 22, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Clover Hill Dairy is recalling all of its brand cheese over possible Listeria contamination tied to a multi-state outbreak that has killed one person and hospitalized eight others.

The Mechanicsville, Maryland, company expanded its recall June 18 to cover every cheese it makes, including soft requeson and cuajada, ricotta and a range of hard and flavored cheeses. The move widens an earlier recall that had been limited to soft ricotta/requeson products.

Nine people across Maryland, New York and Virginia have been sickened, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). One has died.

The contamination may stretch back years. Samples from those who fell ill were collected between March 2023 and May 2026, pointing to a multi-year problem. Investigators found the outbreak strain in six samples of requeson cheese and in one environmental sample from the facility, according to the FDA. 

Clover Hill Dairy cheese is sold directly from the company”s retail market, at farmers” markets and through outside distributors in Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Virginia and Washington, D.C. The product may have reached other states as well.

Shoppers should know the cheese is often relabeled before it reaches stores. It may carry brand names such as Kesso, Quesos La Ricura, Izalco, De Mi Pueblo or Rio Lindo. Consumers are urged to check the manufacturer information on the packaging. Clamshell containers should list Clover Hill Dairy”s permit number, “24-128.”

Listeria poses the greatest danger to pregnant women, adults 65 and older, newborns and people with weakened immune systems. During pregnancy, an infection can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or a life-threatening illness in the newborn.

Mild cases may bring fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. More serious infections can cause headache, a stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions, the FDA said. Symptoms usually appear within two weeks of eating contaminated food but can start the same day or take as long as 10 weeks.

Anyone who has the recalled cheese should not eat, sell or serve it. Consumers can return it to the place of purchase for a refund or throw it away. Because Listeria can survive in the refrigerator and spread to other foods, the agency advises cleaning and sanitizing any surfaces or containers the cheese touched.

People with questions can reach the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission, acting on behalf of Clover Hill Dairy, at 240-528-8850, extension 327, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern time.

Recalled products include:

• Soft Cuajada in Brine (5-gallon bucket (30-lbs), 2-gallon bucket (14-lbs))

• Soft Cuajada, vacuum sealed (5-lb bags, 2.5-lb clam shell, 0.90-lb (14-oz) clam shell)

• Cuajada, vacuum sealed (30-lb boxes)

• Ricotta/Requeson (5-gallon bucket (40-lbs), 2-gallon bucket (18-lbs), 2.5-lb tubs, 1-lb clam shell)