FDA weighs in on the Raw Farms raw Cheddar E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that has sickened at least 10 people in four states. Four people have been hospitalized in this outbreak, and one person has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure.
The cheese has been voluntarily recalled by Raw Farm. The recalled products include original flavor, all sizes of blocks and shredded packages, and Cheddar with added Jalapeño Flavor, all sizes of blocks and shredded packages. The cheese was sold at retailers nationwide. Ill patients have reported buying the cheese at Sprouts Farmers Market and Bristol Farms. The FDA will update the advisory if they discover other retailers who have sold this cheese.
The patient case count by state is: California (4), Colorado (3), Texas (1), and Utah (2). Illness onset dates range from The patient age range is from two to 58 years. And illness onset dates range from October 18, 2023 to January 29, 2024. Four patients have been hospitalized. And one developed hemolytic uremic syndrome.
In interviews with public health officials, six of the patients reported consuming Raw Farm brand raw Cheddar cheese before they got sick. Epidemiological evidence shows that this product is the likely source of this outbreak.
In addition, whole genome sequencing of patient isolates shows that they are all closely related genetically, which means that people in this outbreak likely got sick from eating the same food.
If you ate any of these cheese products, monitor your health for the symptoms of an E. coli O157:H7 infection, which can take up to nine days to appear. Most people suffer from painful and severe abdominal cramps along with bloody diarrhea. Some patients, especially children under the age of five, can develop HUS after this infection. Symptoms of HUS include little or no urine output, easy bruising, bleeding from the nose and mouth, lethargy, and pale skin.
If you ate this cheese and have been ill with those symptoms, see your doctor. You may be part of this Raw Farms raw Cheddar E. coli O157:H7 outbreak.
If you have or a loved one been sickened with an E. coli food poisoning infection or HUS, please contact our experienced attorneys for help with a possible lawsuit at 1-888-377-8900 or text us at 612-261-0856. Our firm represents clients in lawsuits against grocery stores, restaurants, and food processors.
