Requesón cheese made by Clover Hill Dairy of Mechanicsville, MD, is the source of a three-state Listeria outbreak that has caused eight illnesses and one fatality. The requesón, or soft ricotta cheese, has been recalled. Consumers and retailers should not eat, serve, or sell it as Listeria can cause severe illness and death. Among pregnant women, Listeria can cause miscarriage and stillbirth.
The Maryland Department of Health has suspended the company’s operating license.
Do You Need a Listeria Lawyer?
Clover Hill Dairy Requesón Listeria Outbreak
Clover Hill Dairy requesón cheese is the source of a deadly three-state Listeria outbreak that includes eight illnesses. Seven people have been hospitalized, one person has died.
The illnesses, reported from Maryland (3), New York (2), and Virginia (3), have occurred over three years; one in 2023, two in 2025, and five reported so far this year.
In May 2026, the Suffolk County Health Department (SCHD) in New York notified state officials of two illnesses from members of the same family who ate requesón cheese purchased from a Brentwood store. Samples of cheese were collected from the store and tested, and one of them was positive for the outbreak strain of Listeria; genetic tests confirmed.
State agriculture officials also collected and tested samples from the dairy’s Mechanicsville facility. A sample from an unopened, 18-pound sealed bucket of requesón made by Clover Hill Dairy also tested positive for Listeria. A whole genome sequencing analysis on that Listeria sample is pending.
The Maryland Department of Health has suspended the company’s operating license and issued a consumer advisory.
Clover Hill Dairy Requesón Cheese Listeria Recall
On June 3, 2026, Clover Hill Dairy issued a recall for its requeson/soft ricotta products.
NOTE: Some contaminated cheese may have been relabeled and sold under a different brand name. Check for manufacturer information on packages.
- The Clover Hill Dairy manufacturer permit (or plant) number as “24-128” on the label.
- All Clover Hill Dairy soft ricotta/ requeson cheese is under recall.
- Varieties include jalapeño or other flavors.
Where Was the Recalled Requesón Cheese Sold?
Clover Hill Dairy products are sold at their retail market in Maryland, at farmers’ markets, and through third-party distributors, in New York and Virginia.
Soft Cheeses are Commonly Associated with Listeria
Soft cheeses are commonly associated with Listeria outbreaks. Listeria thrives in cold temperatures, and the high moisture/low salt/low acidity content of soft cheese provides good conditions for the pathogen’s growth.
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Symptoms of a Listeria Infection
Symptoms of a Listeria infection can appear within 24 hours of eating contaminated food, but sometimes they can take as long as 10 weeks to develop. They include:
- Severe headache
- High fever
- Stiff neck
- Other muscle stiffness
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Loss of balance, confusion, convulsions.
Pregnant women can suffer a miscarriage or stillbirth even if they only experience mild flu-like symptoms.
How Legal Claims Work in this Outbreak
If you have evidence that your illness is linked to this outbreak, you may have a claim.
Evidence includes medical records, lab confirmation of a Listeria infection, purchase records, leftover product for testing, test results that show a genetic link to the contaminated cheese.
Damages include medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and wrongful death claims for families. Our team has extensive Listeria wrongful death experience.
Potential defendants include manufacturer(s), ingredient suppliers, retailers, co-packers.
Experienced Listeria Lawyers
Pritzker Hageman has represented clients in every major Listeria outbreak and won numerous multimillion-dollar recoveries, including
- $6.4 million for neurologic injury from a contaminated deli product
- $4.5 million for permanent brain damage from contaminated food
- $3 million for a pregnant woman who lost her unborn twins after eating contaminated food
- $1 million for illness from contaminated deli meat
If you were sickened in this outbreak or if you suffered the wrongful death of a family member 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.
Our legal team pursues all responsible companies in the distribution chain. We make house and hospital calls nationwide.