E. coli Outbreak Linked to Raw Dairy

Key points

Investigation status: Open
Recall issued: No

CDC, FDA, and public health officials in three states are investigating a multistate outbreak of E. coli infections linked to raw cheese and raw milk sold by Raw Farm, LLC.

  • Two additional illnesses have been reported from California. One of these illnesses occurred in 2025.
  • This outbreak has illnesses dating back to 2025. Sick people in 2026 reported eating Raw Farm brand raw cheese and two sick people in 2025 reported drinking Raw Farm brand raw milk.
  • Over half of the illnesses continue to be in children under 5.
Updates Locations Timeline

Fast Facts

  • Cases: 9
  • Hospitalizations: 3 including 1 HUS
  • Deaths: 0
  • States: 3
Updates Locations Timeline

Affected food

Raw Farm brand raw cheddar cheese

  • Flavors include original cheddar cheese
  • All sizes of block and shredded cheese packages
Raw Farm cheddar cheese block
Raw cheddar cheese
cheddar cheese blocks
Raw Farm Shredded Cheese
Raw cheddar cheese
shredded cheese

Raw Farm brand raw milk

Sick people from 2025 reported drinking raw milk. Affected Raw Farm brand raw milk from 2025 should no longer be on shelves.


What you should do

  • Consider not eating this cheese while the investigation continues.
  • Consider washing items and surfaces that may have touched this cheese using hot soapy water or a dishwasher.
  • Choose pasteurized milk and dairy products. This is especially true for children under 5 because they are more likely to get sick from raw dairy. Learn more about safer food choices for people at higher risk of severe foodborne illness.

Call your healthcare provider if you or a family member have any of these symptoms:

  • Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F
  • Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving
  • Bloody diarrhea
  • So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
  • Signs of dehydration, such as:
    • Not peeing much
    • Dry mouth and throat
    • Feeling dizzy when standing up

Symptoms of E. coli

  • Most people infected with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) experience severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting.
    • Symptoms usually start 3 to 4 days after swallowing the bacteria.
    • Most people recover without treatment after 5 to 7 days.
  • Some people may develop serious kidney problems (hemolytic uremic syndrome, also called HUS) and would need to be hospitalized.
Keep Reading For more information about E. coli, see the E. coli Questions and Answers page.

See also

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Content Source:
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)