• Clover Hill Dairy expanded its cheese recall to include all products sold across North Carolina, New York, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Washington, DC due to potential Listeria contamination.
  • The recalled cheeses pose risk of Listeria monocytogenes infection, resulting in nine illnesses, including eight hospitalizations and one death.
  • Consumers are advised to immediately discard all recalled Clover Hill Dairy cheese products or return them to retailers, then thoroughly sanitize their refrigerators per CDC guidelines.

On June 18, Clover Hill Dairy expanded its recall to include all of its cheese products, which were sold in its retail markets, farmers markets, and via secondary distributors in North Carolina, New York, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Washington, DC. Here's what everyone needs to know about the recall, and what to do if you have these cheeses in your fridge right now.

What is being recalled?

Clover Hill Dairy is adding a number of cheeses to its ongoing recall. The new additions include the following products.

Soft and Semi-Soft “Spanish Style Cheese Varieties”

  • Cuajada
  • Soft Cuajada
  • Soft Cuajada in Brine
  • Soft Cuajada Crumbs
  • Ricotta/Requesón

Mild Cheese Varieties

  • Yummy Cheddar
  • White Cheddar
  • White Colby
  • Monterey Jack
  • Marble Jack
  • Fresh Cheddar Curd
  • Snack Pack - Assorted (White Colby, Marble Jack, and Yummy Cheddar)
  • 3-in-A-Pack - Assorted (White Colby, Marble Jack, and Yummy Cheddar)

Hard Cheese Varieties

  • Yummy Cheddar
  • White Cheddar
  • White Colby
  • Snack Pack Sharp Stix

Smoked Cheddar Cheese Varieties

  • Cheddar
  • White Cheddar

Flavored Cheeses

  • Horseradish
  • Old Bay Cheddar

Pepper Cheese Varieties

  • Jalapeno Cheddar
  • Pepper Jack
  • Sizzlin’ Colby (with Habanero Peppers)
  • Snack Pack- Assorted Pepper Stix (Jalapeno Cheddar and Pepper Jack)
  • 3-in-A-Pack - Assorted (Jalapeno Cheddar, Pepper Jack, and Sizzlin Colby)

Smoked Pepper Cheese Varieties

  • Jalapeno Cheddar

Why is this cheese being recalled?

According to the recall notice posted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Clover Hill Dairy is recalling the cheeses as they have the "potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, or others with weakened immune systems."

The FDA noted that while otherwise healthy people may suffer "only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea," a listeria infection can cause severe medical emergencies.

The FDA notice added that there have been nine illnesses, including eight hospitalizations and one death, linked to these soft cheese products to date.

What to do if you have the cheese

The notice makes it clear you should not eat any of this cheese if you have it in your fridge. As the FDA states bluntly, "Throw it away or return it to where you bought it."

Then, once you throw it away, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)advises you to clean out your entire fridge and follow these instructions to ensure it's completely sanitized.