WASHINGTON: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it is investigating a multistate E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to Raw Farm brand raw cheddar cheese made by Raw Farm LLC of Fresno, California, after seven confirmed illnesses were reported in three states. Federal health officials said two people have been hospitalized and no deaths have been reported. The outbreak involves five cases in California and one case each in Florida and Texas, with illnesses beginning between Sept. 1, 2025, and Feb. 13, 2026.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said more than half of the illnesses are in children younger than 5, while the FDA said four of the seven cases involve children age 3 or younger. Health officials said laboratory analysis found the bacterial isolates from the sick patients were closely related genetically, a finding that supports a common source of infection. The agencies said epidemiologic evidence indicates Raw Farm brand raw cheddar cheese is the likely source of the illnesses under investigation.
State and local officials have interviewed three sick people about foods they ate before becoming ill, and all three reported consuming Raw Farm brand raw cheddar cheese, according to the FDA and CDC. The affected products include original cheddar sold in block and shredded packages. Federal officials said the cheese was distributed nationwide. The CDC said no recall has been issued, while the FDA said it recommended that the company voluntarily remove its raw cheese products from the market and that the firm declined.
Investigation focuses on raw cheddar products
The FDA said that, to its knowledge, no Raw Farm cheddar products from the period under review had tested positive for E. coli as of its latest public update, and that product testing remains underway. Raw Farm owner Mark McAfee has disputed the agencies’ conclusions and said the company would not recall the cheese because investigators had not definitively linked the products to the illnesses. The company has also said no pathogens were found in its products during the testing described by regulators.
Federal health officials advised consumers to consider not eating the affected raw cheddar cheese while the investigation continues and to clean and sanitize any surfaces or containers that may have come into contact with it. The CDC said symptoms of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli can include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea that is often bloody, and vomiting. Some infections can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious kidney complication that may require hospitalization, though no such cases have been reported in this outbreak.
Earlier outbreak adds context
The new investigation follows a separate 2024 outbreak in which FDA and CDC said Raw Farm brand raw cheddar cheese was also the likely source of E. coli illnesses. In that earlier case, federal officials reported 11 illnesses across five states, five hospitalizations and no deaths before declaring the outbreak over. The FDA has also said raw milk and foods made from unpasteurized milk can carry dangerous germs, including E. coli, and that children are among the groups at higher risk of severe illness from those products.
The current investigation remains open as federal and state officials continue reviewing exposures and testing samples to determine the source of contamination and whether any additional products are involved. For now, the agencies’ public guidance remains focused on the existing Raw Farm raw cheddar products identified in the outbreak notices. The case count stands at seven illnesses, two hospitalizations and no deaths, with children accounting for a substantial share of the confirmed infections – By Content Syndication Services.