Ten stores in Minnesota and Wisconsin sold cheeses recalled in connection with a deadly Listeria outbreak, according to a list released by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) late Friday. The Listeria cheese recall in MN and WI includes queso fresco, Quesillo and Requeson cheeses sold under the brand names Rio Lindo, Rio Grande, El Viejito, El Paisano, El Sabrosito, La Cima, Quesos Finos, San Carlos, Ideal and El Viejito.
El Abuelito of Paterson, NJ made all of the cheeses recalled in connection with this outbreak. On February 19, 2021, the company issued a recall for El Abuelito, Rio Lindo and Rio Grande queso fresco cheeses. On February 27, 2021, the company expanded the recall to include all other cheeses made at its facility in Paterson including Quesillo and Requeson products. But, until Friday, the breadth of the distribution of these cheeses was not known. Stores in 25 states sold the recalled cheeses.
Consumers who have purchased these cheeses should not eat them. Ten of the 11 people sickened in this Listeria outbreak have been hospitalized and one of them has died.
Cheeses Sold in MN and WI Recalled for Listeria
The Listeria cheese recall in MN and WI includes the following cheeses:
Queso Fresco – Rio Grande and Rio Lindo brands
Quesillo – Rio Lindo, Rio Grande, El Viejito, El Paisano, El Sabrosito, La Cima, Quesos Finos, San Carlos and Ideal brands
Requeson – El Viejito brand
Stores in MN and WI that Sold Cheeses Recalled for Listeria
The Listeria cheese recall in MN and WI includes the following stores:
- Bymore Supermercado, 857 Payne Ave., St Paul, MN
- Lupita’s Market & Restaurant, 1307 N Center St., Beaver Dam, WI
- Restaurante El Panzon, 1310 S Midvale Blvd., Madison, WI
- Tienda Los Gemelos, 6713 Odana Rd., Madison, WI
- Mercado Marimar, 2102 S Park St,, Madison, WI
- Pan & Pan, 3559 E Washington Ave., Madison, WI
- Santa Maria Grocery Inc., 1326 S Midvale Blvd., Madison, WI
- La Bombita, 2670 G, E Main St., Reedsburg, WI
- La Bombita, 803 Water St., Sauk City, WI
- Mercadito La Rosita, 309 S 3rd St., Watertown, WI
El Abuelito Listeria Outbreak
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced this outbreak on February 12, 2021. At that time, it included seven illnesses from four states reported from October 20, 2020, to January 22, 2021. Over the last month, the outbreak has grown to include 11 illnesses and one fatality. Currently, Maryland and New York are each reporting four illnesses, Virginia is reporting two, and Connecticut is reporting one. That fatality occurred in Maryland.
Symptoms of a Listeria infection usually develop within two weeks of exposure but sometimes they can take as long as 70 days to develop. They include high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, other muscle stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and loss of balance.
During interviews with health officials, outbreak patients said they ate Hispanic-style fresh, soft cheeses in the weeks before they became sick. Six of them said they ate queso fresco, two specifically reported El Abuelito brand and one reported Rio Grande brand.
If you or a family member are part of this outbreak and would like a free consultation with our experienced team of Listeria lawyers, please contact us today by calling 888-377-8900 (toll-free), texting 612-261-0856 or by completing the form below.