Listeria Discovered in Soft Cheese in County
The county Health Care Agency has issued a warning that listeria bacteria has been found in some soft cheese sold in the county.
Robert Merryman, Orange County’s environmental health director, said that state health officials recently informed his office that investigators had found the presence of the bacteria in Cuajada Salvedorna, which was believed to have been illegally imported into California.
Listeria is responsible for producing listeriosis, a bacterial infection that can be manifested by meningitis, encephalitis and blood infections. It is particularly dangerous to pregnant women and can cause miscarriages and stillbirths, health officials said.
Last year, scores of people in Southern California were infected by the bacteria found in a variety of soft cheeses produced by Jalisco, a Los Angeles County cheese company.
Merryman said that anyone with questions regarding Cuajada Salvedorna cheese or any other cheese products believed to be contaminated should call the county’s environmental health offices at (714) 834-7601.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
