What We Know About the Clover Hill Dairy Listeria Outbreak
The FDA and CDC, working with state and local partners, are investigating a multistate, multi-year outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to requesón, a soft cheese similar to ricotta made by Clover Hill Dairy of Mechanicsville, Maryland. As of June 4, 2026, 8 people have been infected across 3 states, with 7 hospitalizations and 1 death. Patient samples were collected over more than three years, from March 6, 2023 to May 9, 2026. The investigation is active, and FDA says additional products may be affected.
How Investigators Linked Clover Hill Dairy
The break in the case came from New York. On May 13, 2026, the Suffolk County Health Department reported two related Listeria illnesses in one family who had bought food from a retailer in Brentwood, New York. State investigators tested five cheese samples from that store. One sample of requesón that the retailer had repacked tested positive for Listeria, and whole genome sequencing matched it to the strain that made the two New York patients sick. On May 27, 2026, inspectors traced the cheese to Clover Hill Dairy. A sample from an unopened 18-pound bucket of the dairy’s requesón also tested positive for Listeria, and sequencing on that sample is still pending.
FDA has been careful about how far the evidence reaches. Of the 7 sickened people who were interviewed, 5 reported eating cheese and 2 reported eating Clover Hill Dairy requesón specifically. FDA states there is not yet enough evidence to determine whether the recalled cheese explains the entire outbreak, and further testing is underway.
The Listeria Cheese Recall and License Suspension
On June 3, 2026, Clover Hill Dairy issued a voluntary recall of all of its requesón and soft ricotta cheese. The recall covers every variety, including versions with jalapeño and other flavors, and products may be relabeled under a different brand name when distributed. Consumers can identify the recalled cheese by the manufacturer permit number 24-128 on the label. The cheese was sold directly from the dairy’s retail market in Maryland, at farmers markets, and through third-party distributors in New York and Virginia. The Maryland Department of Health suspended Clover Hill Dairy’s operating license and issued a consumer advisory while it evaluates the facility.
Who Is Most at Risk
Listeria is most dangerous for pregnant women and their newborns, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems. It grows at refrigerator temperatures, which makes soft, ready-to-eat cheeses a known risk. FDA advises anyone at higher risk to avoid queso fresco-type cheeses, including soft ricotta and requesón. Symptoms can appear the same day or as long as 10 weeks after exposure, so monitor your health for several weeks if you ate the recalled cheese.
Your Legal Rights
If you were hospitalized or lost a family member to listeriosis after eating Clover Hill Dairy requesón or soft ricotta cheese, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages. Listeria outbreaks linked to soft cheese are a recognized food poisoning hazard, and manufacturers can be held responsible when contaminated product reaches consumers. Filing deadlines vary by state, so it helps to document your exposure and diagnosis promptly.
Ron Simon & Associates is a food poisoning law firm that has recovered over $850 million for victims nationwide. Our Listeria lawyers focus on foodborne illness cases and are reviewing claims from this outbreak. Contact our law firm for a free consultation at 1-888-335-4901. You pay us nothing unless we recover compensation for you.