California dairy recalls raw milk cheese linked to severe strain of E. coli

Raw Farm is recalling its raw milk cheddar cheeses amid an outbreak of a dangerous strain of E. coli, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

As of Friday, the FDA reported that the cheeses are linked to nine people in three states who developed E. coli O157:H7, a severe type of the bacteria that can cause stomach cramps, vomiting and bloody diarrhea. The cases are in California, Texas and Florida.

The California dairy company previously refused to recall its products when the FDA’s investigation began in mid-March.

Three people have been hospitalized and one person developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a life-threatening E. coli complication that can cause kidney failure. Over half of the illnesses are in children under 5 years old. No deaths have been reported.

To find a potential link, the FDA interviewed eight of the infected people about what they ate the week prior to infection. All of them reported eating raw dairy products.

The FDA is testing samples for E. coli, but hasn’t confirmed a positive test result so far. Raw Farm President Aaron McAfee said that won’t happen.

“We’re not related to this outbreak,” he said.

McAfee said the voluntary recall was “made under protest” and “simply a moment in time where this was the right decision for Raw Farm and our consumers.”

“RAW FARM continues to contest the epidemiological links provided by the FDA,” the company said in a statement released Thursday.

Raw milk products are made from dairy that hasn’t been pasteurized, a process that heats it enough to destroy bacteria.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was previously a proponent of raw milk, touting it as the only kind of milk he drinks, and said he would end the “aggressive suppression” of raw milk by the FDA.

More recently, Kennedy has shied away from promoting raw milk as he campaigns in support of the new dietary guidelines, focusing instead on whole milk without mentioning whether it’s pasteurized or raw.

Raw Farm has been linked to previous E. coli outbreaks, including one in 2024 also for raw cheddar cheese that resulted in five people being hospitalized.

The FDA has recommended that people not consume the recalled products. McAfee agreed.

These are the recalled items, which also include batches made prior to these dates:

8 oz Lightly Salted Cheddar Block; Batch: 20251027-2; Expiration: 8/23/2026
80 oz Lightly Salted Cheddar Block; Batch: 20251015-4; Expiration: 8/11/2026
16 oz Lightly Salted Cheddar Block; Batch: 20251027-4; Expiration: 8/23/2026
80 oz Bag of Original Cheddar Shred; Batch: 20260205; Expiration: 5/6/2026
16 oz Jalapeno Cheddar Block; Batch: 20251128-1J; Expiration: 9/24/2026
8 oz Lightly Salted Cheddar Shred; Batch: 20260212; Expiration: 5/13/2026
8 oz Jalapeno Cheddar Block; Batch: 20251128-2J; Expiration: 9/24/2026

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that consuming raw milk can lead to “serious health risks” through exposure to E. coli, salmonella and listeria.

Most people infected with E. coli recover on their own within five to seven days. Children under 5, pregnant women, people over 65 and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have serious illness.

Symptoms include diarrhea lasting longer than three days, excessive vomiting and a fever higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit.

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