welve people in Minnesota have fallen ill with Salmonella poisoning after eating unpasteurized, homemade queso fresco, a Mexican-style cheese, according to a joint statement released by the state departments of health and agriculture, and the City of Minneapolis.At least eight patients were hospitalized after eating the product, and another two were hospitalized from secondary infections after contact with infected individuals. All of those patients have since recovered.
The cases are connected to an individual who distributed the product from their home, as well as making home deliveries and possibly selling the product on a street corner near the East Lake Street area of Minneapolis.
“Anyone who may have purchased or received this product recently should not eat it but should throw it away,” the statement read.
Farm-direct sales of raw milk and unpasteurized dairy products are legal in Minnesota, but state law prohibits those products to be distributed or sold off the farm. Cheese makers must also follow proper food safety regulations, including owning a license.
The state department of health is continuing to investigate the potential for additional illnesses connected to the outbreak.
