FDA says avoid consuming contaminated cheese sold at stores across Long Island

The Food and Drug Administration is urging consumers to avoid eating contaminated cheese purchased at more than two dozen Long Island stores, and distributed by a Bay Shore company, over potential "serious and sometimes fatal" health risks.

The soft cheese, which the FDA said contained listeria monocytogenes, was distributed by Nelson & Isa Lacteos LLC, of Bay Shore, in 1-pound, hand-labeled, clear plastic containers marked requeson. It was sold at stores in Nassau and Suffolk between May 15 and 18 and had a best buy date of June 14, according to the FDA.

The cheese was subject to a so-called Class 1 recall, the highest threat level, with the FDA noting listeria can cause a range of symptoms, including "high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea," but can also cause far more serious, even fatal, health implications for young children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.

The FDA said it could even cause miscarriages and stillbirths.

Best buy dates tell purchasers about when cheese will taste best, but they are not indicators of safety, according to the FDA. 

The FDA said the contamination was discovered during a sampling by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Market Food Inspectors — and confirmed by "subsequent analysis by Food Laboratory personnel" of an 18-pound plastic container marked Clover Hill Dairy Requeson Cheese.

The product was repacked into the 1-pound containers sold to consumers.

The FDA said Tuesday that, to date, no illnesses or complaints have been reported related to the cheese.

But, it asked anyone who bought the cheese not to consume it — and to return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers seeking additional information also can contact the company hotline at 631-334-1055 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., the FDA said.

The FDA said the cheese was sold at the following stores:

 Bay  Shore 

 Exelencia Bakery, 3 Candlewood Rd.

Brentwood

Claros Varidedas #1, 16 First Ave.

Claros Variedades #2, 556 Suffolk Ave.

Fine Fare Super Market, 126 Clark St.

Ismael Variedades, 1629 Islip Ave.

Mi Plaza Variedades #1, 150 Heyward St.

Urquizas Variedades, 1087 Suffolk Ave.

Variedades Paola, 472 Suffolk Ave.

Central Islip

Claros Variedades, 126 W. Suffolk Ave.

Compare Foods, 1070 Islip Ave.

Jocorena Bakery #1, 1066 Islip Ave.

Victoria Bakery, 1645 Islip Ave.

Copiague

Fine Fare Super Market, 870 Merrick Rd.

Mi Plaza Variedades #2, 60 Railroad Ave.

Freeport

Plaza Centro, 46 S. Main St.

Mi Tiendita, 282 N. Main St.

Hampton Bays

Hamptonfood Supermarket, 39 W. Montauk Hwy.

Hempstead

Rinconcito Salvadoreno, 230 Front St.

Segobias Bakery, 279 Jerusalem Ave.

Long Beach

Cafe Honduras, 267 W. Park Ave.

Riverhead

Damaris Multiservices, 725 E. Main St.

Riverhead Multiservices, 74 W. Main St.

Southold

Dina Multiservicios, 46455 Rte. 48

South Farmingdale

D & D, 918 Main St.

Uniondale

Cecia Variedades, 959 Front St.

Rinconcito Variedades, 606 Jerusalem Ave

Shop Fair Market, 973 Front St.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a Newsday reporter since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press, Society of the Silurians and National Headliner Awards for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing. He is the author of “Swee'pea,” about New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. His debut crime novel, “For Nothing Is Hidden,” rooted in 1950s Long Island, was released in October 2025.