Sierra Nevada Graziers raw milk cheese is being recalled for E. coli O26:H11 contamination. There is an outbreak linked to this cheese that has sickened at least 13 people in nine states, more than half of them children. The recalling firm is Sierra Nevada Cheese Company of Willows, California.
The case count by state is: California (3), Colorado (1), Georgia (1), Kentucky (1), Michigan (1), Nevada (3), Oregon (1), Tennessee (1), and Utah (1). The patient age range is from one to 58 years, with a median age of five. Illness onset dates range from July 7, 2026 to August 26, 2026. Eight patients in this outbreak have been hospitalized. Three of them have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure that occurs in E. coli patients who are five years old and younger.
The outbreak has not been linked to a specific lot, date code, or production date of the unpasteurized cheese, so the company is issuing the recall out of an abundance of caution. These cheeses were sold nationwide through distributors, retailers, and direct to customers.
The recalled products are all Graziers brand. They include Monterey Jack in 8 ounce square packages with UPC number 6-87652-16400-9, Jalapeño Jack in 8 ounce squares with UPC number UPC 6-87652-16403-0, Medium Cheddar in 8 ounce squares with UPC number 6-87652-16506-8, Sharp Cheddar in 8 ounce squares with UPC number UPC 6-87652-16507-5, and Medium Cheddar in 16 ounce bricks with UPC number UPC 6-87652-16501-3.
Also recalled is Monterey Jack 5 pound loaves with item number 6425, Jalapeño Jack 5 pound loaves with item number 6426, Medium Cheddar 5 pound loaves with item number 6510, Sharp Cheddar in 5 pound loaves with item number 6511, and Cheddar in a 40 pound block with item numbers 6515 and 6516. Pictures of those products were not provided in the recall notice.
If you purchased any of these cheeses, do not eat them. You can throw them away in a secure garbage can after first double bagging them so other people can’t see them, or you can take them back to the store where you bought them for a full refund.
If you ate these cheeses, monitor your health and your family’s health for the symptoms of an E. coli infection and HUS for the next 10 days to 2 weeks. If anyone does get sick, see a doctor.
