The affected La Colonia product is a 14-ounce package with UPC 736846383099 and expiration date 07/10/2026. Recalled La Ceiba Foods products were distributed to supermarkets, retail stores, and restaurants in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
The cited FDA and CDC sources document an active recall and outbreak investigation rather than a filed La Colonia-specific lawsuit, class action, MDL, or settlement. Consumers who became ill after eating recalled cheese may still request an individualized legal review.
Quick Facts
- The recalled product is La Colonia Requesón Salvadoreño Soft Ricotta Cheese in 14-ounce packaging.
- Affected packages have UPC 736846383099 and expiration date 07/10/2026.
- FDA and CDC reported 12 illnesses, 10 hospitalizations, and one death in the outbreak investigation.
- Consumers should not eat recalled cheese and should preserve product and medical evidence if illness occurred.
Table Of Contents
- Latest La Colonia Soft Cheese Listeria Recall and Lawsuit Developments
- What Is the La Colonia Soft Cheese Recall?
- Why Were the Cheese Products Recalled?
- What Is Listeria Monocytogenes?
- Reported Illnesses and Injuries
- Who May Be Affected?
- How Can Listeria Contamination Occur?
- Who May Be Liable?
- Do I Qualify?
- What Evidence Should I Preserve?
- Do I Have a La Colonia Soft Cheese Listeria Lawsuit?
- Important Legal Actions or Recalls
- Potential Compensation
- Legal Process Overview
- Frequently Asked Questions About the La Colonia Soft Cheese Recall
- Do I Have a La Colonia Soft Cheese Listeria Lawsuit?
- What Evidence May Support a La Colonia Soft Cheese Listeria Lawsuit?
- Which La Colonia Cheese Was Recalled?
- Why Was the Cheese Recalled?
- How Many Illnesses Were Reported?
- Where Was the La Colonia Cheese Distributed?
- What Should I Do With Recalled Cheese?
- What Should I Do If I Ate Recalled Cheese and Feel Sick?
- References
Latest La Colonia Soft Cheese Listeria Recall and Lawsuit Developments
June 2026
- June 29, 2026 – FDA updated its investigation to report that La Ceiba Foods Latin Market Inc. recalled Requesón Salvadoreño and Requesón Mexicano products sold under the La Colonia and Selectos Latinos brands. The recalled products were distributed in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. [1]
- June 29, 2026 – FDA reported that six requeson cheese samples and environmental samples tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes matching the outbreak strain, strengthening the laboratory link to cheese manufactured by Clover Hill Dairy [1]
- June 26, 2026 – La Ceiba Foods announced a recall of certain La Colonia, Selectos Latinos, and Clover Hill cheese products after being notified of a supplier recall involving possible Listeria contamination [2]
- June 24, 2026 – FDA and CDC reported 12 outbreak illnesses in four states, including 10 hospitalizations and one death, and linked the outbreak to requeson manufactured by Clover Hill Dairy [3]
- June 18, 2026 – Clover Hill Dairy expanded its recall to include all cheese products manufactured at its facility because of possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination [4]
What Is the La Colonia Soft Cheese Recall?
The recall includes La Colonia Requesón Salvadoreño Soft Ricotta Cheese packaged in 14-ounce containers. The affected La Colonia product has UPC 736846383099 and expiration date 07/10/2026.
La Ceiba Foods also recalled Selectos Latinos Requesón Salvadoreño and Selectos Latinos Requesón Mexicano products. FDA states that the recall covers all affected lots and batches within expiration.
Requesón is a soft cheese similar to ricotta and may be eaten without additional cooking. That makes contamination particularly concerning because consumers may eat the product directly from the refrigerator.
Why Were the Cheese Products Recalled?
The recall followed a broader investigation involving cheese manufactured by Clover Hill Dairy, LLC. FDA reported that multiple cheese samples and environmental samples tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes and matched the outbreak strain.
La Ceiba Foods initiated its recall after notification of the Clover Hill Dairy supplier recall. Some products manufactured at the facility were distributed or relabeled under different brand names before reaching consumers.
FDA advises consumers, retailers, restaurants, and distributors not to eat, sell, or serve recalled products. Refrigerators and food-contact surfaces that touched recalled cheese should also be cleaned and sanitized.
What Is Listeria Monocytogenes?
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can cause listeriosis, a serious foodborne infection. Pregnant women, newborns, adults age 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems face a greater risk of severe illness.
Listeria can survive at refrigerated temperatures and may spread to surfaces or other foods. This makes contaminated soft cheese especially concerning when it is stored near ready-to-eat foods or handled with shared utensils and containers.
Symptoms may include fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. Invasive infection can require hospitalization and may become life-threatening.
Reported Illnesses and Injuries
FDA and CDC reported 12 people infected with the outbreak strain in Illinois, Maryland, New York, and Virginia. Ten patients were hospitalized, and one death was reported.
The outbreak numbers involve the broader soft-cheese investigation and should not be interpreted as 12 illnesses caused specifically by La Colonia-labeled cheese. Product, exposure, laboratory, and epidemiological evidence may be needed to connect an individual illness to a specific recalled product.
Pregnant women may experience relatively mild symptoms while still facing serious pregnancy complications. Listeriosis during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection in a newborn.
Who May Be Affected?
Consumers may be affected if they purchased or ate La Colonia Requesón Salvadoreño Soft Ricotta Cheese bearing UPC 736846383099 and expiration date 07/10/2026.
People who consumed recalled Selectos Latinos or Clover Hill Dairy cheese may also be affected by the broader recall. Product labels, receipts, photographs, store records, and remaining packaging can help identify what was consumed.
Pregnant women, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems should be particularly alert for symptoms after a possible exposure and should seek appropriate medical advice when necessary.
How Can Listeria Contamination Occur?
Food contamination may occur during manufacturing, ingredient handling, processing, packaging, refrigeration, storage, transportation, or contact with contaminated equipment and surfaces.
FDA’s investigation found both cheese and environmental samples containing Listeria monocytogenes that matched the outbreak strain. Environmental findings can be important because Listeria may persist in food-production environments if sanitation controls do not eliminate it.
A legal investigation may examine sanitation records, environmental testing, supplier relationships, production records, lot tracking, distribution records, repackaging, labeling, and the timing of warnings or recalls.
Who May Be Liable?
Potentially responsible parties may include a manufacturer, supplier, distributor, repackager, retailer, restaurant, sanitation contractor, or another company involved in producing, distributing, selling, or serving contaminated cheese.
Possible claims may involve negligence, distribution of contaminated food, breach of warranty, failure to warn, or other legal theories available under applicable state law.
A recall or outbreak investigation does not automatically establish every element of an individual claim. Product identification, exposure, diagnosis, causation, damages, and possible alternative sources of infection may need to be evaluated.
Do I Qualify?
- Did you eat La Colonia Requesón Salvadoreño Soft Ricotta Cheese or another recalled cheese linked to the outbreak?
- Did you develop symptoms of listeriosis after consuming the recalled product?
- Were you diagnosed with Listeria infection or hospitalized for a related illness or pregnancy complication?
- Do you have packaging, receipts, photographs, laboratory results, medical records, or other proof of exposure?
An individualized legal review can determine whether product identification, exposure timing, medical evidence, outbreak linkage, damages, and applicable filing deadlines support a potential claim.
What Evidence Should I Preserve?
Save the original package, label, UPC, expiration date, receipt, payment record, store-loyalty history, photographs, and any remaining product that can be handled and stored safely.
Medical evidence may include laboratory results, emergency-room records, hospital records, physician notes, prescriptions, pregnancy records, and follow-up treatment. A written timeline showing when the cheese was eaten and when symptoms began may also be useful.
Consumers should also preserve communications with health departments, retailers, restaurants, manufacturers, or distributors. These records may help establish product identity, exposure timing, and the course of the illness.
Do I Have a La Colonia Soft Cheese Listeria Lawsuit?
If you or a loved one became sick after eating recalled La Colonia soft cheese, you may have legal options. Contact Schmidt & Clark for a free case review.
Important Legal Actions or Recalls
| Event | Month/Year | Type | Status | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FDA outbreak update | June 2026 | Outbreak investigation | Investigation ongoing | FDA | Outbreak strain confirmed |
| La Ceiba Foods recall | June 2026 | Food recall | Recall announced | FDA | La Colonia product included |
| CDC outbreak alert | June 2026 | Food safety alert | Investigation open | CDC | Multistate illnesses reported |
| Clover Hill recall expanded | June 2026 | Expanded food recall | Recall expanded | FDA | All facility cheese included |
Potential Compensation
Potential compensation may include emergency care, diagnostic testing, hospitalization, medications, specialist treatment, pregnancy monitoring, follow-up care, and other medical expenses.
Additional damages may include lost wages, pain and suffering, pregnancy loss, premature delivery, newborn infection, disability, wrongful-death damages, and other documented losses when permitted by applicable law.
Compensation amounts vary by case. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
Legal Process Overview
Free case review: The initial review may address the cheese product, purchase location, consumption date, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and available evidence.
Investigation. Attorneys may review product labels, receipts, laboratory results, medical records, recall information, outbreak data, distribution records, and possible alternative exposures.
Filing. A lawsuit may be filed when the available evidence and governing law support one or more claims. Filing deadlines vary by jurisdiction.
Discovery/negotiation: The parties may exchange manufacturing, sanitation, distribution, testing, medical, and expert evidence while discussing possible resolution.
Resolution: A claim may conclude through settlement, dismissal, court ruling, or trial. No outcome or timeline can be guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions About the La Colonia Soft Cheese Recall
Do I Have a La Colonia Soft Cheese Listeria Lawsuit?
A claim may warrant review if you developed a documented Listeria infection after eating recalled La Colonia cheese. Eligibility depends on product identification, exposure, diagnosis, causation, damages, and applicable law.
What Evidence May Support a La Colonia Soft Cheese Listeria Lawsuit?
Useful evidence may include the cheese package, UPC, expiration date, receipt, photographs, laboratory results, medical records, and documentation showing when the product was eaten.
Which La Colonia Cheese Was Recalled?
The recall includes 14-ounce La Colonia Requesón Salvadoreño Soft Ricotta Cheese with UPC 736846383099 and expiration date 07/10/2026.
Why Was the Cheese Recalled?
The product was recalled because of possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination associated with a broader soft-cheese outbreak investigation involving Clover Hill Dairy.
How Many Illnesses Were Reported?
FDA and CDC reported 12 illnesses, 10 hospitalizations, and one death in the broader outbreak investigation. Those figures are not attributed solely to La Colonia-branded cheese.
Where Was the La Colonia Cheese Distributed?
La Ceiba Foods distributed recalled products to supermarkets, retail stores, and restaurants in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
What Should I Do With Recalled Cheese?
Do not eat, sell, or serve it. Follow FDA recall instructions and clean surfaces, containers, or utensils that may have contacted the product.
What Should I Do If I Ate Recalled Cheese and Feel Sick?
Contact a healthcare provider and mention the possible Listeria exposure. Preserve available packaging, purchase records, laboratory results, and medical documentation.
References
- https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-listeria-monocytogenes-soft-cheese-june-2026
- https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/la-ceiba-foods-latin-market-inc-recalls-cottage-cheese-products-because-possible-health-risk
- https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/soft-cheese-06-26/index.html
- https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/clover-hill-dairy-expands-recall-include-all-clover-hill-dairy-brand-cheese-due-possible-health-risk