The Raw Farm raw Cheddar cheese E. coli O157:H7 and raw milk E. coli O157:H7 outbreak has now sickened at least nine people in three states according to the CDC, an increase of two more patients since the outbreak was announced on March 15, 2026. Those new patients live in California, where the farm is located. The farm has refused to recall its products despite FDA requests.
The case count by state is: California (7), Florida (1), and Texas (1). The patient age range is from 1 to 28 years, with the median age of 2. More than half of the patients are under the age of 5. Illness onset dates range from September 1, 2025 to February 20, 2026. Of the eight patients who gave information to public health officials, three have been hospitalized, for a hospitalization rate of 37.5%. One person has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure.
Epidemiologic data shows that Raw Farm raw cheddar cheese may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 and may be making people sick. Of the eight people interviewed, all of them reported consuming unpasteurized milk or cheese before getting sick.
Of those eight patients, seven had brand information. One person drank raw milk but didn’t know the brand. Of the seven people who knew the brand, 100% said they consumed Raw Farm dairy products. In 2026, five people ate Raw Farm Cheddar cheese. In 2025, two people drank Raw Farm raw milk. This is strong epidemiological evidence. Testing of product samples is underway, but results are not yet available.
If you purchased Raw Farm milk or raw cheese, do not eat it. You can throw the cheese away in a secure trash can after first double bagging it so other people can’t see it, or you can take it back to the place of purchase for a refund.
If you decide to pour the milk down the drain, sanitize your sink with a mild bleach solution afterwards. And wash your hands well with soap and water after cleaning and after handling these products.
If you ate or served any Raw Farm milk or cheese in the last 10 days, monitor your health and your family’s health for the symptoms of an E. coli infection or HUS. If anyone gets sick, see your doctor.
