Soft white cheeses made with raw milk present a health risk, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned. Such cheeses can cause listeriosis, brucellosis, salmonellosis, and tuberculosis, and they pose a particular risk to pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems.

Consumption of queso fresco-style cheeses that were imported from or eaten in Mexico were linked with recent cases of tuberculosis in New York City and found to be contaminated with Mycobacterium bovis, according to the FDA. The cheeses of greatest concern are those originating in Mexico and Central American countries and include queso panela, asadero, blanco, and ranchero. The FDA has warned against consumption of any unripened raw-milk soft cheeses, including those obtained at flea markets or from door-to-door sellers or vendors selling out of their trucks, cheeses made at home by individuals, and those shipped or carried in luggage from the areas of concern.

COPYRIGHT 2005 International Medical News Group
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