Food Manufacturer Faces Permanent Injunction Over Listeria OutbreakFood Manufacturer Faces Permanent Injunction Over Listeria Outbreak
The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, investigated a multi-year, multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to queso fresco and cotija cheeses.

The US District Court for the Eastern District of California has entered a consent decree of permanent injunction against Modesto, CA-based Rizo Lopez Foods Inc. and its co-owners, Edwin Rizo and Tomas Rizo.
The consent decree prohibits Rizo Lopez Foods from manufacturing and selling certain food products until the company complies with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), federal regulations and other requirements.
The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with state and local partners, investigated a multi-year, multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to queso fresco and cotija cheeses manufactured by Rizo Lopez Foods of Modesto, CA.
In January 2024, the Hawaii State Department of Health’s Food and Drug Branch collected a retail sample of Rizo Lopez Foods' Aged Cotija Mexican Grating Cheese, and the sample tested positive for L. monocytogenes. Whole genome sequencing of the L. monocytogenes-positive cheese sample matched previous clinical illnesses identified by CDC.
The FDA inspected the Defendants’ facility from January to February 2024, and the FDA subsequently identified the same strain of L. monocytogenes in the facility’s environment. This match indicates that the L. monocytogenes strain likely originated from the Defendants’ facility. In February 2024, Rizo Lopez Foods voluntarily recalled its entire inventory of dairy products, regardless of the sell-by date of the product.
In total, the CDC identified 26 illnesses in 11 states with 23 hospitalizations. Two of the individuals subsequently died, and four individuals were pregnant, including one who suffered a pregnancy loss.
“Food safety is a critical responsibility. Producers of fresco type cheeses are responsible for producing safe food, including being in compliance with food safety laws and regulations. Through this unfortunate outbreak, we see what can happen when a company fails to meet their legal responsibilities,” said FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Jim Jones. “The FDA will always put the safety of consumers and public health first and will continue to hold companies accountable when they manufacture and distribute contaminated food into the US marketplace.”
The consent decree prohibits Rizo Lopez Foods and Edwin and Tomas Rizo, and any persons or entities in active concert or participation with them who receive notice of the decree, from directly or indirectly manufacturing, preparing, processing, packing, repacking, receiving, labeling, holding, and/or distributing any product, excluding pre-packaged food, at or from their facilities unless and until certain requirements are met to ensure they are operating in compliance with the FD&C Act, the FDA’s regulations, and the decree. The consent decree requires the defendants to make corrective actions and receive FDA approval before they may resume operations.
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