Why has California recalled 60 cheese products? Is it linked to the listeria outbreak?

A California cheese and dairy company is the source of a decade-long outbreak of listeria food poisoning. According to The Associated Press, it has led to at least two deaths and over two dozen illnesses across 11 states. But what exactly is the illness? How common is it? Let’s take a look. CDC investigation New lab and inspection evidence linked soft cheeses and other dairy products made by Rizo-Lopez Foods of Modesto, California, to the outbreak, which was first detected in June 2014, the US-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said. Since then, the outbreak has affected at least 26 individuals in 11 states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. They include a person who died in California in 2017 and one who died in Texas in 2020, CDC officials said. The CDC previously investigated cases of food poisoning tied to queso fresco and other similar types of cheese in 2017 and 2021, but there was not enough evidence to identify a source. New illnesses were reported in December, prompting the CDC to reopen the investigation. The strain of listeria linked to the outbreak was found in a cheese sample from Rizo-Lopez Foods. Federal officials confirmed that queso fresco and cotija made by the company were making people sick. Brands recalled Rizo-López Food started an extensive recall, withdrawing all products produced at its Modesto facility. The recall encompasses more than 60 soft cheeses, yogurt and sour cream sold under the brands Tio Francisco, Don Francisco, Rizo Bros, Rio Grande, Food City, El Huache, La Ordena, San Carlos, Campesino, Santa Maria, Dos Ranchitos, Casa Cardenas, and 365 Whole Foods Market, as per AP. The recalled products were distributed nationwide at stores and retail deli counters, including El Super, Cardenas Market, Northgate Gonzalez, Superior Groceries, El Rancho, Vallarta, Food City, La Michoacana, and Numero Uno Markets. Last year, following listeria concerns, thousands of Cadbury dessert products were pulled from supermarket shelves all over the United Kingdom. The food company Müller claimed that the “precautionary” action to recall the Cadbury chocolate items was taken due to concerns about Listeria monocytogenes contamination. About listeria Listeriosis, or listeria is a serious infection typically brought on by consuming food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, explained CDC. Bones, joints, and locations in the chest and abdomen are just a few of the bodily components that listeria infections might sometimes affect. The infection can survive in the refrigerator and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces. Thus, heating food to a safe minimum internal temperature is an easy way to eliminate listeria. According to the US Food and Drug Administration, listeria can survive for a number of years in a factory environment. Medical experts suggest up to 10 per cent of people may carry the virus. It is thought to kill roughly 260 of the 1,600 cases of the disease each year, as per CDC. In 1998, a multi-state listeria outbreak caused by tainted deli meats and hot dogs claimed the lives of 21 people, according to CNN. The CDC’s Foodborne Outbreak Online Database lists 48 deaths from listeria-related illnesses between 1998 and June 2009. According to the World Health Oorganization (WHO), listeria is a relatively rare disease with 0.1 to 10 cases per one million people per year depending on the countries and regions of the world. Symptoms and treatment Listeria infections can cause serious illness and, in rare cases, death. Pregnant women and their unborn children, seniors 65 years of age or older, and those with compromised immune systems are the most likely groups to contract the virus. Pregnant people usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness. Symptoms may include fever, muscle aches, tiredness, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or seizures in non-pregnant individuals. These symptoms usually manifest within two weeks after eating contaminated food. “Listeriosis is a serious, but preventable and treatable disease,” says WHO. First, a lab test on bodily fluids or tissue is required to diagnose listeria. Antibiotics are effective in treating the majority of infections; however, the exact course of treatment will depend on the severity of the disease. CDC guidelines The CDC has advised to either discard the aforementioned products or return them to the store of purchase. It also advised consumers to thoroughly clean refrigerators, counters, and containers that may have come into contact with the recalled products, as listeria can persist and spread to other foods. The CDC advises those who are at high risk to stay away from certain foods that could be tainted with the bacteria. These foods include soft cheeses that haven’t been pasteurised, raw or slightly cooked sprouts, and cold deli meats. With inputs from agencies