If you purchased Mexican or Salvadoran-style cottage cheese (requesón) from a supermarket, retail store, or restaurant in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, D.C. between May 11 and June 1, 2026, a new recall directly affects you.
La Ceiba Foods Latin Market Inc. issued a recall on June 26, 2026 for Requesón Salvadoreño (Salvadoran Cottage Cheese) and Requesón Mexicano (Mexican Cottage Cheese), sold under the La Colonia and Selectos Latinos brand names — due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. This is the third distinct brand identified in the ongoing, deadly Clover Hill Dairy Listeria outbreak, following Clover Hill Dairy's own labeled products and a separate recall by Nelson & Isa Lacteos, LLC.
Why This Matters
The Clover Hill Dairy Listeria outbreak — which has caused 12 confirmed illnesses, 10 hospitalizations, and 1 death as of June 24, 2026 — has now been traced through multiple layers of repackaging and rebranding. La Ceiba Foods is a distributor that purchased cheese from Clover Hill Dairy and sold it under its own brand names, which means consumers who never saw the name "Clover Hill" on any package they purchased may still be at risk.
This pattern — a single contaminated source feeding into multiple consumer-facing brand names — is common in specialty and ethnic food markets, where smaller distributors purchase bulk product from a producer and repackage it for retail sale. It also makes self-identification of risk significantly harder for consumers, who would have no reason to associate "La Colonia" or "Selectos Latinos" cheese with a Clover Hill Dairy recall unless they specifically follow the expanding investigation.
What We Know So Far
According to the FDA's recall notice, this recall was initiated after La Ceiba Foods was notified by its supplier — Clover Hill Dairy — of the possible Listeria contamination in products manufactured at the Mechanicsville, Maryland facility.
The specific recalled products, according to The Epoch Times' coverage of the FDA notice:
- La Colonia brand: 14 oz. packages of "Salvadoreno Requeson, Soft Ricotta Cheese," UPC code 736846383099
- Selectos Latinos brand: 16 oz. packages of requesón products
- All products carry an expiration date of July 10, 2026
- The recall includes all batches and lots within these expiry dates
The affected products were distributed to supermarkets, retail stores, and restaurants in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. between May 11, 2026 and June 1, 2026.
The Broader Outbreak Context
This is the third recall connected to the Clover Hill Dairy outbreak:
- Clover Hill Dairy, LLC — recalled requesón and soft ricotta cheese on June 3, 2026, then expanded the recall on June 18, 2026 to cover all cheese products manufactured at the Mechanicsville facility, including cuajada and hard cheeses.
- Nelson & Isa Lacteos, LLC of Bay Shore, New York — recalled requesón cheese sold at New York retail locations from May 15 to May 28, 2026.
- La Ceiba Foods Latin Market Inc. — recalled Requesón Salvadoreño and Requesón Mexicano under the La Colonia and Selectos Latinos brands, distributed to Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., June 26, 2026.
According to the CDC's outbreak investigation page, Clover Hill Dairy cheese may also have been relabeled under additional brand names, including Kesso, Quesos La Ricura, Izalco, De Mi Pueblo, and Rio Lindo, meaning further recalls or brand identifications are possible as the investigation continues.
As of June 24, 2026, the outbreak has sickened 12 people across four states (Illinois, Maryland, New York, and Virginia), with 10 hospitalizations and one death.
What Doctors and Experts Say
As described in the FDA recall notice: "Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems. Healthy people may have short-lived symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Listeria infection can also lead to miscarriages and stillbirth in pregnant women."
La Ceiba Foods stated in its recall announcement: "La Ceiba Foods sincerely regrets any inconvenience this recall may cause its customers and reaffirms its commitment to food safety and the quality of its products. The company continues to work closely with its suppliers and regulatory authorities to ensure the safety of the products it distributes."
What the Evidence Shows — and What It Does Not
Whole genome sequencing has confirmed that the Listeria strain found in Clover Hill Dairy's cheese matches the strain causing illness in the outbreak. The traceback from La Ceiba Foods to Clover Hill Dairy as the ultimate manufacturer has been confirmed by the supplier relationship disclosed in La Ceiba's own recall notice.
What remains uncertain is the full extent of the distribution chain. Given that contamination has now been traced through at least three separate consumer-facing brands across multiple states, additional repackaged or relabeled products distributed by other intermediaries may still be unidentified.
Who Faces the Greatest Risk?
- Pregnant people — Listeria infection can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, or severe neonatal infection
- Adults 65 and older
- Immunocompromised individuals
- Anyone who purchased requesón, Mexican cottage cheese, or Salvadoran cottage cheese from any retailer in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, D.C. between May 11 and June 1, 2026
What You Can Do Now
- If you purchased Requesón Salvadoreño or Requesón Mexicano under the La Colonia or Selectos Latinos brand names in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, D.C. since mid-May 2026, do not eat it. Discard it or return it for a refund.
- Check any cheese product for the UPC code 736846383099 (La Colonia 14 oz.) or for Selectos Latinos branding on 16 oz. packages.
- Also check for any other Clover Hill-sourced products under the brand names Kesso, Quesos La Ricura, Izalco, De Mi Pueblo, or Rio Lindo.
- Clean your refrigerator using the CDC's five-step bleach sanitization protocol if any recalled product was stored there.
- Contact the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission on behalf of Clover Hill Dairy at 240-528-8850, extension 327, for refund information.
- If you are pregnant, over 65, or immunocompromised and consumed any of these products, contact your health care provider promptly, even without symptoms.
What Happens Next
The FDA's investigation remains active, and further recalls connected to additional distributors or rebranded products are possible. MedicalDaily will continue to report on any new brand identifications, case count updates, or expansion of the affected distribution area.
The Bottom Line
A third brand — La Colonia and Selectos Latinos requesón, distributed by La Ceiba Foods Latin Market Inc. — has been recalled in connection with the deadly Clover Hill Dairy Listeria outbreak. If you purchased Mexican or Salvadoran-style cottage cheese in Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, D.C. between May 11 and June 1, 2026, check it against this recall now and discard it if it matches.
