Raw Farm Recalls Raw Milk Cheddar Amid Multistate E. Coli Outbreak

Raw Farm, a California-based dairy company, has issued a voluntary recall of its raw milk cheddar cheeses after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) linked the products to a multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7, the agency confirmed Friday.

The recalled cheeses have been associated with nine cases of E. coli infection across California, Texas, and Florida. The FDA reported that three people have required hospitalization, and one person developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a potentially fatal kidney complication. Over half of those affected are children under five. No deaths have been reported in connection with the outbreak.

The FDA began its investigation in mid-March after several illnesses were identified, but Raw Farm initially declined to recall its products. Following additional cases, the company agreed to a recall “made under protest,” according to President Aaron McAfee. McAfee maintains that Raw Farm contests the FDA’s epidemiological findings, saying, “We’re not related to this outbreak,” though he advised consumers to heed the recall for safety.

Investigators interviewed eight of those infected, all of whom had consumed raw dairy products in the week before becoming ill. While the FDA is testing cheese samples for E. coli contamination, no definitive positive test has been confirmed to date.

The recalled items include various sizes and varieties of Raw Farm cheddar cheese, with batch numbers and expiration dates specified by the FDA. Consumers are advised to avoid consumption of these products.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to warn that raw milk poses significant health risks, especially to young children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.

As of the latest update, the FDA investigation remains ongoing, and consumers are urged not to eat the recalled cheese products while testing continues.