Sandwiches Recalled Amid Cheese Safety Fears

A ready-made sandwich product is being recalled over fears it may contain the bacterium that can cause listeria.

The S&S Ham & Cotija Torta Sandwich on Telera Roll produced by MG Foods is being voluntarily recalled as part of a wider investigation into a listeria outbreak. The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are "investigating illnesses in a multi-year, multi-state outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to queso fresco and cotija cheeses manufactured by Rizo-López Foods," the statement said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the latest addition to the recall on February 13. The sandwich comes in a plastic container with a white label and black lettering. All products with a use by date of February 9 to 16 and a UPC number of 100001002017 are included in the FDA warning.

Newsweek contacted MG Foods for comment via email outside of normal working hours.

According to the FDA release, the sandwich was distributed exclusively in Florida and sold via vending machines and "grab-and-go retail markets." No illnesses have yet been reported in relation to consuming this product.

The sandwich is one of numerous food items containing a dairy product produced by Rizo-López Foods that have been recalled in recent weeks. Hundreds of products produced by different suppliers have been recalled due to potential contamination with the Listeria monocytogenes bacterium.

CEO Edwin Rizo previously told Newsweek: "This is the first time any product we manufacture has been linked to a food-borne illness. The day we were told by the FDA and CDC that our products may be linked to a food-borne illness, we immediately stopped production and distribution.

"We then voluntarily recalled 100 percent of the products manufactured in our facility. We are sincerely sorry for the people who have been affected by this issue."

The FDA outbreak investigation urges consumers not to eat any cheeses, sour creams or yogurts that have been recalled or any products containing them. People are also urged to check their freezers for any recalled products that may have been stored for use at a later date.

Listeria can cause life-threatening illness in children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems. The illness is also linked to causing miscarriages in pregnant women.

According to the FDA, symptoms can begin in the days and weeks following infection. Those with a less serious illness may have a range of symptoms, including fever, muscle aches, tiredness, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. If a more serious infection occurs, it can result in a headache, a stiff neck, loss of balance, confusion and convulsions.

The investigation into the listeria outbreak has been ongoing since June 2014. As of December 10, 2023, two deaths and 23 hospitalizations had been recorded.