Pregnant women are 20 times more likely than the general population to contract listeria, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The foodborne illness, which has been linked to stillbirths, premature births and miscarriages, prevalently appeared in cuts prone to bacteria and suppresses the immune system to the point that it can't defend itself. Pregnant Latinas assume a higher risk because they consume higher volumes of cultural Mexican-style soft cheeses, like panela, asadero, queso blanco and queso fresco.

"These cheeses are often made with unpasteurized milk," read an FDA program. "Many cases of listeriosis within Hispanic communities have been linked to eating homemade cheese."

Latinos Vulnerable to Listeria

The FDA's program cites 12 listeria-related contaminations ranging from California to North Carolina; one caused 11 non-English speaking women to suffer pregnancy complications. One such case occurred at a Roos Food Inc. manufacturing plant in Kenton, Delaware two years ago.

Last January, the cheese distributor pled guilty to food violation charges stemming from a 2014 listeria outbreak that infected five adults and three newborns. Seven of eight patients -- all Hispanic -- were hospitalized.

A similar case in October 2014 killed one Latino in Tennessee and hospitalized three others in Georgia, Texas, and New York. The survivors reported eating tainted cases of quesito casero, prompting Oasis Brands Inc. to recall the product.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that pregnant Latinas are 24 times likelier than other to develop a listeria infection.

The Cheese-Making Process

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates nearly a billion pounds of cheese were produced nationwide last February, including about 21 million considered Hispanic cheeses. Mozzarella is still the most popular, accounting for 341 million pounds, followed by cheddar with 258 million.

The difference between European staples and Latin American favorites like queso fresco depends on pasteurization procedures and the storage process.

Cheddar is pasteurized and can be stored anywhere from three months up to a year, depending on the preferred hardness. Queso fresco -- a combination of goat and cow's milk -- is unaged and takes little more than a few hours to become edible.

It is generally served with traditional Mexican fare in most Latino communities, but recent listeriosis outbreaks prompted FDA researchers to reiterate the "raw" cheese's danger.