Rizo Lopez Cheese Listeria Recall Now Includes All Dairy Products [Updated]

Updated February 6 after cheeses are linked to a deadly outbreak After its cheeses were linked to a deadly Listeria outbreak, Rizo Lopez Foods Inc. of Modesto, CA has expanded its Listeria recall for cotija cheese to include all dairy products produced at its manufacturing facility. The outbreak includes 26 illnesses and two fatalities. One woman suffered a pregnancy loss.

The recall includes cheese, yogurt, and sour cream sold under the brand names:

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

The recalled products were sold at Food City, Walmart, Whole Foods, and other stores nationwide. They were also sold at deli counters at stores including:

• El Super
• Cardenas Market
• Northgate Gonzalez
• Superior Groceries
• El Rancho
• Vallarta
• Food City
• La Michoacana
• Numero Uno Markets

Cotija Cheese Listeria Recall

On January 11, 2024, Rizo Lopez Foods, Inc. of Modesto, CA, issued a recall for 344 cases of Aged Cotija Mexican Grating Cheese after routine sampling performed by the Hawaii State Department of Health’s Food and Drug Branch detected Listeria in the finished product. That recall was for:

Rizo Bros Cotija Aged Mexican Grating Cheese

• 8-oz packages
• batch number 4DW-23318
• UPC 72724200043

After whole genome sequencing performed on the Listeria found in the cheese determined that it matched the strain cultured from the patients, the company expanded the recall to include all of its dairy products. The company has paused production and distribution while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigates the root cause.