Mi Pueblito Cheese Recall Due to Possible Listeria Contamination

Posted by Fred Pritzker in Listeria Recall

Quesos Mi Pueblito, LLC of Passaic, New Jersey, has recalled the following cheese products with Sell by Date from February 2, 2009 to present:

LA FE OAXACA STRING CHEESE
EL VIEJITO OAXACA CHEESE
MI PUEBLITO COTIJA/AñEJO
MI PUEBLITO CUAJADA FRESCA
MI PUEBLITO QUESO COLOMBIANO DE ARRIERO
MI PUEBLITO QUESO MOLIDO
MI PUEBLITO QUESO COTIJA TRIANGULO
MI PUEBLITO QUESO FRESCO
MI PUEBLITO QUESO FRESCO DE RANCHO
MI PUEBLITO QUESO CASERO
MI PUEBLITO QUESO OAXACA
MI PUEBLITO REQUESON
MI PUEBLITO SERRANO

The recalled Mi Pueblito cheese products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms, such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, infection can cause miscarriages and still births among pregnant women and life-threatening infections (Listeria sepsis and Listeria meningitis) in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.

The recalled cheese was distributed in New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia through Puebla Foods, INC., Passaic, N.J. to retail stores and wholesalers.
No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem.

The recall is a result of sampling and analyses by the NJ Dept. of Health and Senior Services.

If no one has eaten any of the cheese, consumers who have purchased these products may return them to the place of purchase for a full refund, according to the FDA news release regarding this outbreak.  If someone has eaten some of the cheese and is later diagnosed with listeriosis (Listeria infection), the leftover cheese may be able to be used as evidence in a suit against the manufacturer.

For more information about the Me Pueblito Cheese recall, please see the FDA news release.