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Protect Families from Deadly Cheese — Act Now to Ensure Food Safety

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Sponsor: The Hunger Site

Deadly bacteria has infiltrated our cheese, putting countless lives at risk—call on the FDA to take action to protect our families and ensure the food we buy is safe.

Protect Families from Deadly Cheese — Act Now to Ensure Food Safety

Listeria contamination in queso cheese has posed serious health risks, especially for children, pregnant people, and those with weakened immune systems1. This deadly bacterium has been found in products sold in grocery stores, with the FDA issuing a recall to protect public health. But critical questions remain: How did this contamination occur, and could it happen again?

The Severity of the Recall

The FDA classified this queso cheese recall as a Class 1 recall, the most severe type, reserved for products that could cause serious health consequences or death2. The urgency of this recall underscores the grave danger that contaminated cheese can pose. Yet, uncertainty lingers about whether the contaminated cheese reached restaurants, potentially putting even more people at risk.

A Persistent Problem

Listeria contamination is not an isolated issue. The FDA has issued multiple recalls for cheese, dairy, deli meat, and smoked fish products due to Listeria in recent years3. Each recall represents a failure in our food safety system—a system designed to protect us from such dangerous threats. The question remains: What is being done to prevent the next outbreak?

The Need for Answers and Action

Consumers deserve to know how Listeria managed to contaminate this queso cheese and whether similar dangers exist in other products on our shelves. The FDA must conduct a thorough investigation into this outbreak. Transparency about the source of contamination, the safety protocols that failed, and the preventive measures being implemented is essential to prevent such a crisis from happening again.

Stand Up for Food Safety

We shouldn’t have to fear that our next meal could make us sick—or worse. We should be able to trust that the food we buy is safe for our families. But trust can only be restored if we know that everything possible is being done to protect us from deadly pathogens like Listeria.

Act Now for a Safer Future

We cannot afford to wait for another outbreak, another recall, or another life lost. By signing the petition below, you are calling on the FDA to take decisive action to investigate this Listeria contamination thoroughly and to implement stronger preventive measures to ensure the safety of our food supply.

It’s time to hold the FDA accountable for safeguarding public health. Together, we can prevent this from happening again. We can push for the transparency, accountability, and action that we all deserve.

Sign the petition now and join the fight for a safer future.

More on this issue:

  1. FDA (10 April 2024), "Outbreak Investigation of Listeria Monocytogenes: Queso Fresco and Cotija Cheese."
  2. FDA (6 February 2024), "Rizo Lopez Foods Inc. Voluntarily Recalls Dairy Products Because of Possible Health Risk."
  3. USDA FSIS (9 February 2024), "FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Ready-to-Eat Poultry Products Containing FDA-Regulated Cheese."

The Petition

To the Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration,

We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned about the recent recall of queso cheese due to contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, a deadly bacterium that poses a significant risk to children, pregnant people, and those with weakened immune systems. This cheese, sold in Utah grocery stores, was recalled in April 2024 after the contamination was discovered. However, critical questions remain unanswered.

We are alarmed that this contamination was so severe that it warranted the FDA's most urgent recall classification, Class 1, which is reserved for products that could cause serious health consequences or death. This is not an isolated incident; many cheese, dairy, deli meat, and smoked fish products have been recalled due to Listeria contamination this year alone. The recurring nature of these recalls raises serious concerns about the safety of our food supply.

As consumers, we have the right to trust that the food we purchase is safe for our families. We urge the FDA to launch a thorough investigation into how this contamination occurred and to provide clear answers to the public. Specifically, we demand transparency regarding the source of the contamination, the safety protocols that failed, and the steps being taken to prevent future incidents.

These actions are essential to restoring public trust and ensuring that no one has to worry about life-threatening bacteria in their food. A rigorous investigation and stronger preventive measures will not only address the current crisis but also pave the way for a safer future for all consumers.

We appreciate your immediate attention to this urgent matter.

Sincerely,

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