A bacteria-contaminated shampoo and a Listeria-linked cheese are both being pulled from shelves
Two separate product recalls are making the rounds this week, and both deserve a quick check of your bathroom and refrigerator before the holiday weekend goes any further.
Popular salon shampoo pulled over bacteria concerns
Kao USA has voluntarily recalled specific lots of Oribe Serene Scalp Densifying Shampoo sold in the United States and Canada after the products were found to potentially contain Pluralibacter gergoviae bacteria. The recall affects 8.5-ounce and 33.8-ounce bottles manufactured between February 21 and February 26, 2026.
The company notes the bacteria poses little risk to healthy individuals, but people with weakened immune systems or certain underlying health conditions face a higher chance of infection. Anyone with an affected bottle is being asked to stop using it immediately. Retailers and salons are also being asked to pull the bottles from shelves and return them for safe disposal.
The affected products and lot codes are as follows. For the 8.5-ounce bottle with UPC 840035231242, the affected lot code is YR010556. For the 33.8-ounce bottle with UPC 840035231273, the affected lot codes are YR010566 and YR010576. The lot code can be found printed in black on the bottom of the bottle.
Consumers who experienced a reaction, need a replacement, or have questions can contact the Kao Professional Hair Technical Hotline at 800-333-2442 or reach the company by email at [email protected].
Soft cheese recalled amid deadly Listeria outbreak
A more serious recall involves La Ceiba Foods Latin Market Inc., which has pulled its Salvadoran Cottage Cheese and Mexican Cottage Cheese products sold under the La Colonia and Selectos Latinos brand names. The recall is connected to a multi-state, multi-year Listeria outbreak tied to Clover Hill Dairy, La Ceiba’s supplier.
The FDA reports 12 illnesses, 10 hospitalizations, and one death linked to the outbreak, which has spread across New York, Maryland, Virginia, and Illinois. Clover Hill Dairy’s operating license has since been suspended by the Maryland Department of Health.
The affected La Ceiba products include La Colonia’s 14-ounce Salvadoreno Requeson Soft Ricotta Cheese, Selectos Latinos’ 16-ounce Requeson Salvadoreno, Selectos Latinos’ 16-ounce Requeson Mexicano Mexican Cottage Cheese, and Clover Hill’s 18-pound Bucket of Requeson. All affected items carry an expiration date of July 10, 2026 and were distributed between May 11 and June 1, 2026 to supermarkets, retailers, and restaurants in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C.
Consumers are advised not to eat, sell, or serve the recalled products and should return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Any surfaces the cheese touched should be thoroughly sanitized. Listeria monocytogenes causes symptoms including fever, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, severe headaches, and stiffness, and is particularly dangerous for young children, older adults, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems. In pregnant women, the infection can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth.
Questions about the cheese recall can be directed to the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission on behalf of Clover Hill Dairy at 240-528-8850, extension 327.