Deadly Listeria Outbreak on Dairy Products at Costco, Trader Joe's, and Walmart
In a significant development affecting consumers nationwide, a deadly listeria outbreak has prompted a sweeping recall of dairy products, now extending to items sold at leading retailers such as Costco, Trader Joe's, and Walmart. The recall, initiated by Modesto, California-based Rizo-López Foods, encompasses nearly 60 cheese and dairy products after federal health officials linked the company's offerings to a listeria outbreak that emerged nearly a decade ago. This outbreak has resulted in at least 26 reported cases across 11 states, including two fatalities—one in California in 2017 and another in Texas in 2020, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Among the latest recalled items are dips, dressings, salad, and taco kits available at the mentioned grocery chains. Fresh Express also announced the recall of two salad kits featuring condiment packs containing the implicated cheese. These products, sold in several states including Alabama, California, and Florida, have use-by dates stretching from January 6, 2024, to February 20, 2024. Additional recalls encompass products from Fresh Creative Foods—a unit of Reser's Fine Foods—and Ready Pac Foods, affecting salad kits distributed by Ready Pac in thousands of cases produced between December 2023 and February 2024.
The recall has broadened to include products from Albertson's, H-E-B, and Trader Joe's, along with salad kits sold at Costco, Walmart, and Winco due to their inclusion of Rizo-López cheese. Furthermore, BrightFarms of Irvington, New York, is recalling its Southwest Chipotle salad kits due to potentially tainted cotija cheese included in the kits, impacting sales in multiple states from Delaware to Washington D.C.
The FDA and CDC continue their investigation into the outbreak, emphasizing the ongoing risk to consumers. Individuals are strongly advised to dispose of any recalled products and to thoroughly sanitize surfaces and containers that have come into contact with these items, given listeria's ability to survive and spread in refrigerated environments.
Listeria poses the greatest risk to pregnant individuals, newborns, people aged 65 and older, and those with weakened immune systems. Symptoms of infection typically appear within two weeks of consuming contaminated food and can range from fever and muscle aches to more severe complications like confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.
This extensive recall and the associated health risks underscore the importance of vigilance among consumers and retailers alike in managing and responding to foodborne illness outbreaks.
