Two strains of Salmonella, Salmonella Meleagridis and a multidrug-resistant strain of Salmonella Newport were associated with an outbreak involving unpasteurized, cotija-style cheese. The outbreak occurred among the Hispanic community of Kane County, Illinois. The investigation showed that recent consumption of Mexican-style cheeses purchased from Hispanic grocery stores was a risk for illness. Samples from 85 patients, one sample of Mexican-style aged cheese (cotija) from a local Hispanic grocery store, and milk from a bulk tank on a local dairy farm yielded genetically matching strains of S. Newport. The cheese had been made by an unidentified, unlicensed producer. This was the first report of Salmonella isolated from an aged, rather than fresh, Mexican-style cheese. Performed correctly, the aging process was thought to inhibit pathogenic bacteria such as salmonella. The Food and Drug Administration allowed certain cheeses to be manufactured using unpasteurized milk if they were aged for at least 60 days.