Overview
- Investigators report nine E. coli cases in California, Texas and Florida tied to Raw Farm raw cheddar, including three hospitalizations and one case of hemolytic uremic syndrome.
- Genome sequencing and patient interviews point to a single outbreak strain and to Raw Farm products, with California health officials calling the link strong despite negative retail tests.
- Owner Mark McAfee has refused a voluntary recall and says he will act only if FDA testing finds the bacteria in his cheese, citing his own negative batch results.
- The CDC and FDA advise consumers and retailers not to buy, sell or serve the unpasteurized cheddar while the investigation continues.
- Raw Farm was also linked to a large 2024 Salmonella outbreak tied to its raw milk, sharpening scrutiny of raw-dairy safety and the FDA’s rarely used power to mandate recalls.