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.

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On Friday, the FDA reported that the cheeses were linked to nine people in three states who developed E. coli O157:H7, a serious type of 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 investigation began in mid-March.

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

To find a potential link, the FDA questioned eight of the infected people about what they had eaten in the week before infection. All reported eating raw dairy products.

The FDA is testing samples for E. coli, but has not yet confirmed a positive result. Raw Farm President Aaron McAfee said that won’t happen.

“We are not linked to this epidemic,” he said.

McAfee said the voluntary recall was “done under protest” and “simply at a time when it was the right decision for Raw Farm and our consumers.”

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

Raw milk products are made from dairy products that have not been pasteurized, a process that heats them enough to destroy bacteria.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. previously favored raw milk, touting it as the only type of milk he drinks, and said he would end the FDA’s “aggressive suppression” of raw milk.

More recently, Kennedy has shied away from promoting raw milk as he campaigned for the new dietary guidelines, instead focusing on whole milk without specifying whether it was pasteurized or raw.

Raw Farm has been linked to previous outbreaks of E. coli, including one in 2024 also for raw cheddar cheese, which resulted in the hospitalization of five people.

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

Here are the recalled items, which also include lots manufactured before these dates:

• 8 oz block of lightly salted cheddar; Lot: 20251027-2; Expiration: 08/23/2026
• 80 oz block of lightly salted cheddar; Lot: 20251015-4; Expiration: 08/11/2026
• 16 oz lightly salted cheddar block; Lot: 20251027-4; Expiration: 08/23/2026
• 80 oz bag of original shredded cheddar; Lot: 20260205; Expiration: 05/06/2026
• 16 oz jalapeno cheddar block; Lot: 20251128-1J; Expiration: 09/24/2026
• 8 oz lightly salted shredded cheddar cheese; Batch: 20260212; Expiration: 05/13/2026
• 8 oz jalapeno cheddar block; Lot: 20251128-2J; Expiration: 09/24/2026

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that consuming raw milk can cause “serious health risks” due to 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 years old, pregnant women, people over 65 years old, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to suffer from serious illnesses.

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