The truth about troubling reports on cheese sold in NJ markets

🔺 Cheese recall ‘inaccurate’ says Sargento

🔺 Earlier listeria scare from outside Cotija cheese

🔺 Sargento says own products remain safe

Amid reports of stores in New Jersey and other states pulling cheese products over a listeria scare, Sargento has tried to clear up what it says is inaccurate information about its own products.

The Wisconsin-based, family-owned cheese company has confirmed that Sargento Branded Product is not affected.

Instead, it was the recall issued Feb. 5 of Cotija cheese made by California-based Rizo-Lopez Foods over a listeria outbreak.

Sargento said that the recall impacted a limited amount of products that were made under a relationship with Rizo-Lopez.

The cheese maker voluntarily recalled those products as well as any products packaged on the same lines "out of an abundance of caution."

Sargento then ended its relationship with Rizo-Lopez Foods, Inc.

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That recall involved cheese, yogurt, and sour cream products sold under the following brand names:

🔺 Tio Francisco
🔺 Don Francisco
🔺 Rizo Bros
🔺 Rio Grande
🔺 Food City
🔺 El Huache
🔺 La Ordena
🔺 San Carlos
🔺 Campesino
🔺 Santa Maria
🔺 Dos Ranchitos
🔺 Casa Cardenas
🔺 365 Whole Foods Market

The full range of Rizo-Lopez Foods items recalled is listed by the Food and Drug Administration.

Sargento Foods is still based in Wisconsin, with a workforce of more than 2,500 employees and net sales of $1.8 billion.

"As a family-owned company, the safety and quality of its products are top priorities and it remains committed to providing transparency and accuracy," Sargento said in a news release, while sharing the correct information across its social media channels.

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