Published by The recalled La Colonia product is La Colonia Requesón Salvadoreño Soft Ricotta Cheese in 14-ounce packaging with UPC 736846383099 and an expiration date of 07/10/2026. FDA states that the recalled La Ceiba Foods products were distributed to supermarkets, retail stores, and restaurants in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
Current legal status: La Ceiba Foods Latin Market Inc. has recalled certain La Colonia and Selectos Latinos cheese products due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Consumers may be able to seek legal review if they developed listeriosis, pregnancy complications, hospitalization, or other losses after eating recalled soft cheese.
Quick Facts
- The recalled La Colonia product is Requesón Salvadoreño Soft Ricotta Cheese in 14-ounce packaging.
- The product carries UPC 736846383099 and expiration date 07/10/2026.
- The recall also includes Selectos Latinos Requesón Salvadoreño and Selectos Latinos Requesón Mexicano products.
- Listeria can cause severe illness, especially in pregnant women, newborns, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems.
Table Of Contents
- Latest News & Updates on La Colonia Soft Cheese Listeria Lawsuits
- What Is the La Colonia Soft Cheese Recall?
- What Is Listeria Monocytogenes?
- Reported Risks or Injuries
- How Does the Problem Occur, and Who May Be Liable?
- Who May Be Affected?
- Do I Qualify?
- Do I Have a La Colonia Soft Cheese Listeria Lawsuit?
- Important Legal Actions or Recalls
- Potential Compensation
- Legal Process Overview
- Frequently Asked Questions About La Colonia Soft Cheese Listeria Lawsuits
- What La Colonia cheese was recalled?
- Why was La Colonia soft cheese recalled?
- Where was the recalled La Colonia cheese distributed?
- How many illnesses are linked to the soft cheese Listeria outbreak?
- What are symptoms of Listeria infection?
- Why is Listeria especially dangerous during pregnancy?
- What should I do if I have recalled La Colonia soft cheese?
- Can I file a lawsuit if I ate recalled cheese but was not diagnosed with listeriosis?
- What evidence should I save for a La Colonia soft cheese Listeria claim?
- References
Latest News & Updates on La Colonia Soft Cheese Listeria Lawsuits
June 2026
June 29, 2026 – FDA updated its outbreak investigation to report that La Ceiba Foods Latin Market Inc. recalled Requesón Salvadoreño and Requesón Mexicano products marketed under the La Colonia and Selectos Latinos brands. The recalled products were distributed to supermarkets, retail stores, and restaurants in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. between May 11, 2026 and June 1, 2026 [1].
June 29, 2026 – FDA reported that six requeson cheese samples and one environmental sample collected by the Maryland Department of Health tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes and matched the outbreak strain. FDA also reported that a second environmental sample collected from Clover Hill Dairy, LLC tested positive and matched the outbreak strain.
June 26, 2026 – La Ceiba Foods Latin Market Inc. announced a recall of certain cottage cheese and soft ricotta cheese products marketed under the La Colonia, Selectos Latinos, and Clover Hill brands. The company stated that the recall was initiated after notification of a supplier recall by Clover Hill Dairy following possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination in products manufactured at the facility [2].
June 24, 2026 – FDA and CDC reported that the outbreak included 12 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria in four states, with 10 hospitalizations and one death. FDA stated that the illnesses were linked to requeson, a soft cheese similar to ricotta, manufactured by Clover Hill Dairy, LLC of Mechanicsville, Maryland.
June 18, 2026 – Clover Hill Dairy expanded its recall to include all cheese products manufactured at its facility due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. FDA stated that these products could be relabeled under different brand names when distributed [3].
CDC outbreak update – CDC’s food safety alert states that the Listeria outbreak linked to soft cheese remains open, with a recall issued and public health officials investigating cases in multiple states. CDC advises consumers not to eat recalled soft cheese and to throw it away or return it to the store [4].
What Is the La Colonia Soft Cheese Recall?
The La Colonia soft cheese recall involves La Colonia Requesón Salvadoreño Soft Ricotta Cheese. Requesón is a soft cheese similar to ricotta and may be eaten without additional cooking.
The recalled La Colonia product is sold in 14-ounce packaging with UPC 736846383099. The expiration date is 07/10/2026.
La Ceiba Foods also recalled Selectos Latinos Requesón Salvadoreño Ricotta Style Salvadorean Style Cheese in 16-ounce packaging and Selectos Latinos Requesón Mexicano Mexican Cottage Cheese in 16-ounce packaging. Both Selectos Latinos products also have an expiration date of 07/10/2026.
FDA states that La Ceiba Foods recalled all lots and batches within expiration. Consumers, retailers, restaurants, and distributors should not eat, sell, or serve recalled cheese.
What Is Listeria Monocytogenes?
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can cause listeriosis, a serious foodborne infection. It is especially dangerous for pregnant women, newborns, adults age 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems.
Listeria can survive in refrigerated temperatures and may spread to other foods and surfaces. That makes contaminated soft cheese particularly concerning because it may be stored in refrigerators and handled with utensils, containers, cutting boards, or serving dishes.
Symptoms usually start within two weeks after eating contaminated food, but they may start as early as the same day or as late as 10 weeks after exposure. Mild symptoms may include fever, muscle aches, nausea, tiredness, vomiting, and diarrhea.
More severe listeriosis may cause headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. Pregnant women may experience only mild symptoms, but infection during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection in the newborn.
Reported Risks or Injuries
FDA and CDC report 12 illnesses, 10 hospitalizations, and one death in the soft cheese Listeria outbreak investigation. Cases have been reported in Illinois, Maryland, New York, and Virginia.
The recalled cheese products were distributed in several Mid-Atlantic and Eastern states, and FDA cautions that product distribution could extend beyond confirmed states. La Ceiba Foods products were distributed in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
High-risk consumers face the greatest danger. Pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems may suffer invasive listeriosis, hospitalization, pregnancy loss, premature delivery, newborn infection, or death.
Consumers who ate recalled cheese and developed symptoms should contact a healthcare provider. They should also preserve packaging, receipts, medical records, lab results, and any leftover product if it can be safely stored for public health or legal review.
How Does the Problem Occur, and Who May Be Liable?
FDA’s investigation linked the outbreak to requeson manufactured by Clover Hill Dairy, LLC. FDA reported that multiple cheese samples and environmental samples matched the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes.
La Ceiba Foods recalled products after being notified of a supplier recall by Clover Hill Dairy. Some recalled cheese products may have been repackaged, relabeled, or distributed under different brand names before reaching consumers, stores, or restaurants.
A legal investigation may examine manufacturing conditions, environmental testing, sanitation practices, supplier records, distribution records, cold-chain handling, labeling, repackaging, retail handling, and outbreak strain matching. It may also evaluate whether consumers and businesses received timely warnings once contamination concerns were identified.
Potentially responsible parties may include the manufacturer, distributor, repackager, retailer, restaurant, supplier, sanitation contractor, or other companies involved in producing, distributing, selling, or serving the recalled cheese. Liability depends on product identification, medical proof, contamination evidence, and state law.
Who May Be Affected?
Consumers may be affected if they purchased or ate La Colonia Requesón Salvadoreño Soft Ricotta Cheese with UPC 736846383099 and expiration date 07/10/2026. Consumers may also be affected if they ate Selectos Latinos or Clover Hill cheese products included in the broader recall.
Retailers, restaurants, and food-service businesses may be affected if they purchased, repackaged, served, or sold recalled cheese. FDA advises businesses not to sell or serve recalled products and to clean and sanitize surfaces or containers that may have touched the cheese.
Consumers should check refrigerators and freezers for recalled cheese. If cheese was frozen without original packaging and the consumer cannot determine whether it is part of the recall, FDA advises throwing it away.
High-risk individuals should be especially cautious. CDC advises pregnant women, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems not to eat recalled soft cheese and to contact a healthcare provider if symptoms occur after exposure.
Do I Qualify?
- Did you purchase or eat La Colonia Requesón Salvadoreño Soft Ricotta Cheese?
- Did the product have UPC 736846383099 or expiration date 07/10/2026?
- Did you purchase the cheese from a supermarket, retail store, restaurant, distributor, or food-service location in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., or another affected area?
- Did you eat Selectos Latinos Requesón Salvadoreño, Selectos Latinos Requesón Mexicano, Clover Hill Dairy cheese, or another recalled soft cheese product?
- Did you develop fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or convulsions?
- Were you diagnosed with listeriosis or treated for suspected Listeria infection?
- Were you pregnant, age 65 or older, immunocompromised, or otherwise at higher risk for severe Listeria illness?
- Do you have packaging, label photos, receipts, payment records, medical records, lab results, or proof that you ate the recalled cheese?
Foodborne illness claims often depend on both product proof and medical proof. Helpful evidence may include positive Listeria test results, hospitalization records, symptom timelines, receipts, packaging photos, store loyalty records, restaurant records, and communications with health departments.
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 | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Ceiba Foods recall announced | June 2026 | Food recall | Recall announced | La Colonia and Selectos Latinos requeson products recalled due to possible Listeria contamination | FDA |
| FDA outbreak update | June 2026 | Outbreak investigation | Ongoing | FDA reported 12 illnesses, 10 hospitalizations, and one death in the soft cheese Listeria outbreak | FDA |
| Clover Hill Dairy expanded recall | June 2026 | Expanded food recall | Recall expanded | Clover Hill Dairy expanded its recall to include all cheese products manufactured at its facility | FDA |
| CDC outbreak alert | June 2026 | Food safety alert | Investigation open | CDC stated that public health officials are investigating a multistate Listeria outbreak linked to soft cheese | CDC |
Potential Compensation
Potential compensation may include emergency care, doctor visits, diagnostic testing, hospitalization, antibiotics, specialist care, pregnancy monitoring, follow-up care, lost wages, and out-of-pocket expenses.
Severe cases may involve damages for pain and suffering, long-term complications, pregnancy loss, newborn infection, premature delivery, disability, emotional distress, or wrongful death. The value of a claim depends on medical proof, product evidence, outbreak linkage, and applicable law.
Compensation amounts vary by case. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
Legal Process Overview
Step 1: Free case review. The review begins with the product name, purchase location, purchase date, expiration date, symptoms, diagnosis, and medical treatment. Packaging photos, receipts, and lab results can help connect the illness to the recalled cheese.
Step 2: Evidence preservation and investigation. Consumers should preserve packaging, label photos, receipts, payment records, store loyalty records, leftover product if safely stored, medical records, lab results, and public health communications. Attorneys may investigate distribution records, supplier records, recall notices, contamination testing, and outbreak strain data.
Step 3: Filing the claim. If the evidence supports legal action, a claim may allege negligence, strict product liability, breach of warranty, failure to warn, or related claims depending on state law. Filing deadlines vary by state.
Step 4: Discovery and negotiation. Discovery may involve manufacturing records, sanitation records, environmental testing, distribution data, retail records, medical records, expert reports, and witness testimony. Negotiations may focus on illness severity, hospitalization, high-risk status, pregnancy complications, product identification, and outbreak linkage.
Step 5: Resolution. A claim may resolve through settlement, dismissal, court ruling, or trial. The result depends on medical proof, product evidence, causation, damages, expert analysis, and legal defenses.
Frequently Asked Questions About La Colonia Soft Cheese Listeria Lawsuits
What La Colonia cheese was recalled?
The recalled La Colonia product is Requesón Salvadoreño Soft Ricotta Cheese in 14-ounce packaging. The product has UPC 736846383099 and expiration date 07/10/2026.
Why was La Colonia soft cheese recalled?
The cheese was recalled because of possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The recall is connected to a broader FDA and CDC outbreak investigation involving soft cheese manufactured by Clover Hill Dairy.
Where was the recalled La Colonia cheese distributed?
FDA states that La Ceiba Foods recalled products were distributed to supermarkets, retail stores, and restaurants in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. between May 11, 2026 and June 1, 2026.
How many illnesses are linked to the soft cheese Listeria outbreak?
FDA and CDC report 12 illnesses, 10 hospitalizations, and one death in the outbreak investigation. Reported cases involve Illinois, Maryland, New York, and Virginia.
What are symptoms of Listeria infection?
Symptoms may include fever, muscle aches, nausea, tiredness, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. Symptoms can begin the same day or as late as 10 weeks after eating contaminated food.
Why is Listeria especially dangerous during pregnancy?
Pregnant women may experience only mild symptoms, but Listeria infection can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection in the newborn. Pregnant women should contact a healthcare provider if they ate recalled cheese and develop symptoms.
What should I do if I have recalled La Colonia soft cheese?
Do not eat, sell, or serve the recalled cheese. FDA advises consumers to return it to the place of purchase or throw it away, and to clean and sanitize surfaces or containers that may have touched it.
Can I file a lawsuit if I ate recalled cheese but was not diagnosed with listeriosis?
A confirmed diagnosis generally makes a foodborne illness claim stronger. However, consumers with symptoms, medical treatment, product proof, and high-risk exposure may still request a legal review.
What evidence should I save for a La Colonia soft cheese Listeria claim?
Save packaging, label photos, receipts, store records, payment records, leftover product if safely stored, medical records, lab results, and communications with healthcare providers or health departments. These records may help establish product identity, timing, and illness connection.
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.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/clover-hill-dairy-expands-recall-include-all-clover-hill-dairy-brand-cheese-due-possible-health-risk
- https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/soft-cheese-06-26/index.html
- https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborne-pathogens/listeria-listeriosis