Costco, Trader Joe's pull some products with cheese in expanded recall for listeria risk

The recall of more than four dozen dairy products for possible listeria contamination has been expanded to include enchiladas, bean dip, dressings and sauces sold at stores including Albertson's, Costco and Trader Joe's and with an Amazon Kitchen label. 

Rizo-López Foods of Modesto, California, recalled dozens of dairy products earlier this week, including Queso Fresco and Cotija Cheese, because of the risk of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled products – including cheese, crema, yogurt, and sour cream – were distributed nationwide and sold under brand names such as 365 Whole Foods Market, Don Francisco and Tio Francisco, the company said in a press release. Stores carrying products affected included Harris Teeter and Whole Foods.

An expansion of the recall on Thursday, according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration, increases the products recalled to more than five dozen, including black bean dip and other products sold at Costco, and Trader Joe's brand enchiladas, salad dressing and salads, the FDA said.

What cheese and other products are being recalled for listeria risk?

Fresh Creative of Vista, California, a division of Reser Foods, recalled several products because they are made with a cheese ingredient supplied by Rizo-López Foods. The products were sold at stores including Costco, H-E-B, Trader Joe’s and Albertson’s in California, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

The products are: 

• Don Pancho Chicken Street Taco Express Meal Kit (22 ounces), best by dates of Feb. 12-March 17, 2024.
• Don Pancho Cilantro Lime Crema Twin Pack 2 pk (32 oz), best by dates of March 21-April 4, 2024.
• HEB Cilantro Cotija Dressing (12 oz.), best by dates of Jan. 13-March 30, 2024.
• HEB Poblano Caesar dressing (12 oz.) best by dates of Jan. 14-March 31, 2024.
• Trader Joe's Chicken Enchiladas Verde (17.6 ounces), no dates
• Trader Joe's Cilantro Dressing (12 oz.), best by dates of Feb. 19-May 14, 2024.
• Don Pancho Everything Sauce Fiesta 3-Pack (of 12-oz bottles), best by dates of March 11-26, 2024.

The company says it has gotten no consumer complaints about the products.

Trader Joe's of Monrovia, California, is recalling all lots of these products sold nationwide containing cotija cheese supplied by Rizo-López Foods. They are:

• Trader Joe’s Chicken Enchiladas Verde
• Trader Joe’s Cilantro Salad Dressing
• Trader Joe’s Elote Chopped Salad Kit
• Trader Joe’s Southwest Salad

No illnesses have been reported related to these products, the company said.

Simply Fresh of Buena Park, California, is recalling Rojo’s Black Bean 6 Layer Dip 2-20-ounce Club Pack because it contains the recalled cotija cheese from Rizo-López Foods. The recalled dips have use-by dates from Feb. 6-March 22, 2024.

A total of 7,350 cases were distributed to Costco stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, and Utah. To date, there have been no harmful effects reported, the company said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture also added another product to the recall late Thursday: Amazon Kitchen Chicken Chile Verde Burritos. SK Food Group notified the UDSA's Food Safety and Inspection Service they used recalled cotija cheese made by Rizo-López Foods that may be contaminated with listeria. The product was shipped to locations nationwide and sold:

• Individually in wax paper packages labeled "Amazon Kitchen, Chicken Chile Verde burrito with rice, black beans & monterey jack" with Best Before Julian dates starting with 0764, 1384, 1394, and 2694.
• In boxes containing 8 burritos labeled "Chicken Chile Verde Burrito With Rice, Black Beans & Monterey Jack" with production dates 6/20/23, 8/21/23, 8/22/23, and 12/30/23, and with expiration dates of 3/16/24, 5/17/24, 5/18/24, and 9/25/24.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products, the company said. The products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase, the USDA says.

Cheese recall: Queso fresco, other products previously recalled

The multistate and multi-year investigation dates back to 2014 as officials had previously investigated listeria outbreaks connected to Rizo-López Foods in 2021 and 2017, with cases dating back to 2014. The FDA and Centers for Diseased Control and Infection began investigating again after the Hawaii State Department of Health in January 2024 reported it had found a sample of Rizo-López Foods-manufactured Rizo Bros Aged Cotija that tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. 

The outbreak has resulted in 26 illnesses with 2 deaths and 23 hospitalizations in 11 states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and Washington), The CDC said. 

The illnesses date back to 2014, the CDC said, with the most recent case from December 2023. One death was reported from California in 2017 and the other death was reported from Texas in 2020, the CDC told USA TODAY.

The four dozen products recalled on Tuesday include all sell-by dates of cheese, yogurt, and sour cream (crema) sold under these brand names, the FDA said:

• 365 Whole Foods Market
• Campesino
• Casa Cardena
• Don Francisco
• Dos Ranchitos
• El Huache
• Food City
• La Ordena
• Rio Grande
• Rizo Bros
• San Carlos
• Santa Maria
• Tio Francisco

The FDA has complete product descriptions and UPCs (universal product codes) on its website.

What to do if you bought cheese products recalled for listeria risk?

Check your refrigerator and freezers for any recalled products and throw them away. Do not eat them. If you froze a product without the original packaging and can’t tell if it is part of the recall, throw it away. You can get a refund from the store where you bought the products.

Clean and sanitize any surfaces the recalled products may have touched, as listeria can survive in refrigerators and spread to other foods and surfaces. Follow the FDA's safe handling and cleaning advice to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. 

What is listeria infection?

You can get a serious infection by eating food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria. Most people who get listeriosis do not become seriously ill, but a serious infection can develop in those most susceptible including pregnant women and their newborns, adults ages 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems, according to the Centers for Diseased Control and Infection.

Each year, about 1,600 people get sick and 260 die from listeriosis, the CDC says.

Symptoms may start the same day you eat contaminated food, but more typically begin within two weeks after consumption and may start as late as 10 weeks later, the FDA says.

Symptoms may include fever, muscle aches, nausea, fatigue, vomiting and diarrhea for those with a mild illness. Those who develop more serious cases may have headaches, a stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. If you develop symptoms, contact your health care provider.

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.

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