Listeria Cheese Recall by Queseria Bendita
A Listeria cheese recall has been issued by Yakima, Wash.-based Queseria Bendita after testing revealed the products were contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA says one illness in Washington is related to the recall, and that other cases in Washington and Oregon may also be related. News sources report that Oregon health officials have associated the outbreak with five illnesses. Two of the cases potentially related to the Queseria Bendita cheese recall involve Oregon women who were pregnant and became sick with Listeria food poisoning (listeriosis) that resulted in fetal distress and early delivery. Listeria is known to be potentially harmful to pregnant women, potentially causing miscarriages or stillbirths.
The recalled cheese was sold at Queseria Bendita’s retail store and distributed to Hispanic markets throughout Washington and Oregon. Three types of cheeses are involved in the recall: Queso Fresco, Requeson and Panela. According to the FDA:
“The Queso Fresco is packaged in one- and three-pound vacuum packed wheels; the Panela is vacuum packed in one- and three- pound sizes; and the Requeson is packed in eight-ounce and one- pound clear plastic tubs. Each cheese has a green label identifying the type of cheese, the Queseria Bendita brand name, and a date code up to and including “Apr 30 2010″.”
The company has stopped producing and distributing the product. The Washington State Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the firm are investigating the contamination source.
