ShareThisBy FRESNO BEE
Fresno Bee
Friday, October 26, 2007
A Southern California couple are facing criminal charges after allegedly being caught with 375 pounds of illegal soft cheese -- often referred to as "bathtub" cheese -- at an open-air market in San Bernardino County.
The products can cause serious illness because of contaminants such as listeria, salmonella or E. coli, officials with the California Department of Food and Agriculture said.
Floribel Hernandez Cuenca, 29, and Manuel Martin Sanchez Garrido, 44, of Montclair, Calif., were arrested for allegedly selling a variety of unlicensed cheeses to the public. Cuenca was also arrested on felony cheese manufacturing charges.
CDFA dairy foods investigators joined a team consisting of the Chino and Ontario police departments, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department and the Chino Code Enforcement Department. The arrests took place on Oct. 20.
"Illegally produced cheese is a serious threat to public health," said CDFA Secretary A.G. Kawamura. "We urge consumers to protect their families and avoid the purchase of illegally produced products."
