The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is warning consumers not to eat cheese products made by Roos Foods of Kenton, DE. During testing of products, a sample returned a presumptive positive for Listeria bacteria. The health department is now testing to confirm the exact strain of Listeria. While it may be a harmless variety, it could be Listeria monocytogenes, a potentially deadly bacteria. The cheeses were pasteurized and not sold as raw milk products. While confirmatory testing is under way, DHMH advises consumers not to eat any cheese products made by Roos Foods, or any foods that have been made with these cheeses. Roos Foods include the following brands:
- Santa Rosa de Lima
- Amigo, Mexicana
- Suyapa
- La Chapina
- La Purisima Crema Nica
If the products happen to be contaminated with a harmful strain of Listeria, eating them could cause listeriosis infection. Symptoms of infection include fever, muscle aches, headaches, diarrhea and nausea. Listeriosis in pregnant women can cause premature labor, miscarriage, stillbirth, or severe infection in newborns.
