Requeson Cheese Recall Lawsuit Evaluation

Federal and state health officials are investigating illnesses tied to Listeria monocytogenes, a foodborne pathogen that can cause severe disease in pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. The FDA says all requeson cheese manufactured by Clover Hill Dairy has been recalled, including plain, jalapeño, and other flavored varieties [1].

As of the FDA and CDC outbreak updates, 8 people had been sickened in 3 states, with 7 hospitalizations and 1 death reported [2]. Consumers who ate recalled requeson or soft ricotta and developed symptoms may want to preserve packaging, purchase records, medical records, lab results, and any remaining product.

Quick Facts

• The FDA says Clover Hill Dairy recalled its requeson/soft ricotta products on June 3, 2026, and that consumers, retailers, and restaurants should not eat, sell, or serve the recalled cheese [1].
• The CDC describes the outbreak investigation as open and says the recalled cheese may have been sold from Clover Hill Dairy’s retail market, farmers markets, and distributors, including in New York and Virginia [2].
• The recalled cheese may be relabeled under a different brand, so consumers should check for Clover Hill Dairy manufacturer permit or plant number “24-128” when package information is available [1].
• Listeria can survive in refrigerated environments, which makes refrigerator cleanup important after recalled soft cheese has been stored at home [3].

Latest News & Updates on Requeson Cheese Recall Lawsuit Evaluation

June 2026

The FDA reported that Clover Hill Dairy, LLC issued a voluntary recall of its requeson/soft ricotta products after Listeria monocytogenes was found during the outbreak investigation. The recalled product includes all requeson cheese manufactured by Clover Hill Dairy, and the agency warned that additional products may be affected as testing continues [1].

The CDC also issued a food safety alert for a multistate outbreak linked to requeson/soft ricotta cheese. The agency reported that the investigation is open, a recall has been issued, and high-risk people should avoid recalled soft cheese and clean refrigerators, containers, and surfaces that may have touched it [2].

Maryland health officials suspended Clover Hill Dairy’s operating license due to the public health risk, according to the FDA’s update. That detail matters because it suggests regulators are evaluating not just a single package of cheese, but the facility and production environment connected to the recalled products [1].

What Is Requeson Cheese?

Requeson is a soft, fresh cheese similar to soft ricotta. It may be sold in plain form or flavored varieties, including jalapeño and other versions.

In this investigation, the FDA identified the product as recalled Clover Hill Dairy soft ricotta/requeson cheese. The cheese may have been sold under Clover Hill Dairy labeling, repacked by retailers, or relabeled under another brand name, which makes manufacturer permit information especially important for consumers trying to identify recalled product [1].

The difficulty in tracking this outbreak is due to traceability. Unlike a sealed grocery-store recall where one brand label may be easy to identify, this cheese may have moved through retail markets, farmers markets, distributors, and repacking channels. Consumers who bought soft cheese without original packaging may have a harder time proving the product source, so receipts, photos, store names, dates, and witness information can become important.

Reported Risks or Injuries

Listeria infection can range from mild gastrointestinal illness to invasive listeriosis. The FDA says non-invasive illness may involve fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, while invasive illness may include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions [4].

The CDC says Listeria is especially harmful for pregnant women, newborns, adults 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems. During pregnancy, infection can cause pregnancy loss, premature birth, or life-threatening infection in a newborn [2].

Reported outbreak outcomes include hospitalizations and one death. Those outcomes do not mean every exposed person will become seriously ill, but they show why contaminated soft cheese can create urgent public health concerns.

How Does the Problem Occur, and Who May Be Liable?

Listeria contamination can occur when food is processed, prepared, packed, transported, or stored in environments contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The FDA notes that the bacteria can survive and grow even under refrigeration, and it can thrive in unsanitary food production conditions [4].

In this outbreak, New York investigators tested cheese samples from a retailer after two related Listeria illnesses were reported in the same family. FDA says one requeson sample repacked by the retailer tested positive, and whole genome sequencing confirmed that the Listeria strain in that cheese matched the strain causing illness in those New York cases [1].

Investigators later identified Clover Hill Dairy of Mechanicsville, Maryland, as the requeson cheese manufacturer. FDA says a sample from an unopened 18-pound sealed bucket of requeson made by Clover Hill Dairy also tested positive, with additional sequencing pending at the time of the update [1].

Potentially responsible parties may include a cheese manufacturer, distributor, retailer, repacker, or other supply-chain entity if evidence shows that contaminated cheese was produced, distributed, sold, or served. Liability depends on product tracing, lab testing, illness timing, medical records, and state law.

Who May Be Affected?

People who ate recalled Clover Hill Dairy requeson or soft ricotta may be affected. This includes consumers who bought the cheese from Clover Hill Dairy’s retail market, farmers markets, distributors, or retailers in states where distribution has been confirmed.

The FDA lists confirmed product distribution in Maryland, New York, and Virginia, but notes that product could have reached additional states [1]. Consumers outside those states should not assume they are unaffected if they purchased soft ricotta/requeson that may have been distributed or relabeled.

High-risk groups should be especially careful. Pregnant women, older adults, newborns, and people with weakened immune systems should contact a healthcare provider if they develop symptoms after eating recalled cheese.

Do I Qualify?

A legal review can help determine whether someone may qualify for a requeson cheese recall lawsuit. The strongest evaluations usually involve both exposure evidence and medical evidence.

Key questions may include:

• Did you eat recalled requeson or soft ricotta cheese?
• Was the cheese made by Clover Hill Dairy or labeled with permit number 24-128?
• Did you buy the product from a farmers market, retailer, distributor, or food business connected to the recall?
• Did symptoms begin after eating the cheese?
• Were you diagnosed with Listeria infection or treated for symptoms consistent with listeriosis?
• Do you have packaging, receipts, photos, bank records, lab results, medical records, or leftover product?
• Did the illness involve hospitalization, pregnancy complications, invasive infection, lost wages, or a death in the family?

A claim does not depend on having every document immediately. However, records that connect the person, the product, the purchase location, the illness timeline, and the diagnosis can make a legal review more useful.

Do I Have a Requeson Cheese Recall Lawsuit?

If you or a loved one developed Listeria after eating recalled requeson or soft ricotta cheese, you may have legal options. Contact Schmidt & Clark for a free case review.

A review can help identify the product source, evaluate medical and purchase records, and determine whether a claim may be available under the laws that apply to your case.

Important Legal Actions or Recalls

Potential Compensation

Potential compensation in a foodborne illness claim may include medical expenses, hospitalization costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, future medical care, and out-of-pocket costs related to the illness.

In severe Listeria cases, damages may also involve pregnancy-related harm, long-term neurological complications, invasive infection, or wrongful death damages. The value of any claim depends on proof of exposure, diagnosis, severity, recovery, state law, insurance, and the parties responsible for the product.

Compensation amounts vary by case. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and no legal article can predict the value of an individual food poisoning claim without a case-specific review.

Legal Process Overview

Free case review: A legal team first reviews the exposure timeline, product information, symptoms, and diagnosis. For this outbreak, purchase location and product tracing may be especially important because some recalled cheese may have been repacked or relabeled.

Investigation: Attorneys may gather receipts, bank records, product labels, packaging photos, store information, lab results, medical records, public health reports, and outbreak updates. If leftover cheese is available, consumers should avoid eating it and ask counsel or health officials about safe preservation and testing options.

Filing: A lawsuit may be filed if evidence supports product exposure, illness causation, damages, and a legally responsible defendant. The complaint may allege contamination, negligence, failure to warn, breach of warranty, or other claims depending on state law.

Discovery and negotiation: Both sides exchange documents, product records, testing information, distribution evidence, and medical proof. Some foodborne illness claims resolve during negotiation, while others require more formal litigation.

Resolution: A case may resolve through settlement, dismissal, court ruling, or trial. Timing depends on the number of affected consumers, product tracing complexity, medical evidence, and whether the outbreak investigation identifies additional products or responsible parties.

Frequently Asked Questions About Requeson Cheese Recall Lawsuit Evaluation

What is the Requeson Cheese Recall Lawsuit Evaluation about?

The Requeson Cheese Recall Lawsuit Evaluation concerns potential claims by people who became sick after eating recalled Clover Hill Dairy requeson or soft ricotta cheese. The FDA and CDC are investigating a Listeria outbreak linked to soft cheese, and the recall includes all requeson cheese made by Clover Hill Dairy.

What requeson cheese was recalled?

The recall includes all requeson/soft ricotta cheese manufactured by Clover Hill Dairy. The FDA says some varieties may have jalapeño or other flavors, and products may have been relabeled under a different brand name when distributed [1].

How can I identify recalled requeson cheese?

Consumers should check the manufacturer information on the package, if available. The FDA says the label should identify Clover Hill Dairy manufacturer permit or plant number “24-128” [1]. If cheese was frozen without original packaging and cannot be identified, FDA advises consumers to throw it away.

What are the symptoms of Listeria from recalled requeson cheese?

Symptoms can differ depending on whether the illness is intestinal or invasive. FDA lists possible mild symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, while invasive illness may involve headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or convulsions [4].

Who is most at risk from Listeria in soft cheese?

Pregnant women, newborns, adults aged 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems face the highest risk of serious illness. CDC warns that Listeria during pregnancy may cause pregnancy loss, premature birth, or life-threatening infection in a newborn [2].

Do I need a positive Listeria test to bring a claim?

A positive lab test can be important evidence, but a legal review can still help evaluate what records are available. Medical records, symptom timing, purchase records, public health interviews, and outbreak matching can all matter when reviewing a potential foodborne illness claim.

What should I save if I got sick after eating requeson cheese?

Save packaging, labels, receipts, bank or credit card records, photos, leftover product, medical records, lab results, and notes about where and when the cheese was purchased. If the product may be contaminated, do not eat it, serve it, or handle it unnecessarily.

Can I file a requeson cheese Listeria lawsuit if a loved one died?

A wrongful death claim may be possible if evidence links a loved one’s fatal Listeria infection to recalled cheese and the claim is timely under state law. A legal review can help determine which family members may bring a claim, what damages may be available, and what records are needed.

References

1. https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-listeria-monocytogenes-soft-cheese-june-2026
2. https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/soft-cheese-06-26/index.html
3. https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/about/index.html
4. https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborne-pathogens/listeria-listeriosis
5. https://www.schmidtlaw.com/sargento-cheese-recall-lawsuit/