Twin Sisters Creamery raw milk cheese has sickened at least three people; one in Washington and one in Oregon, with E. coli O103. One of the patients is a child under the age of five, and two are adults. Illness onset dates range from September 5 to September 16, 2025. The dairy is located in Ferndale, Washington, in Whatcom County. The firm is cooperating with this investigation. The Washington State Department of Health is working with the Oregon Health Authority and federal partners to investigate this Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli (STEC) outbreak. Molecular fingerprinting of the bacteria from the three cases is "extremely similar," suggesting that a common source is the cause of these illnesses. The patient from Oregon said he consumed the Twin Sisters Creamery raw milk … [Read more...]
Live Avian Flu Can Survive in Raw Milk Cheese Up to Six Months
Live avian flu can survive in raw milk cheese up to six months, according to an article in the University of Minnesota's CIDRAP. The report was published in Nature Medicine on October 8, 2025. The research was conducted at Cornell University. Researchers at Cornell said in a statement, "Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 viruses have recently spread to dairy cattle, with high levels of virus detected in milk from affected animals, raising concern about the risk posed by unpasteurized dairy products consumed by human." Raw milk cheeses can contain other pathogens, such as Salmonella and E. coli, but bird flu is something new. High levels of the virus has been detected in milk from affected animals. The H5N1 viral persistence was assessed in milk that was acidified to several … [Read more...]
Family Cow Raw Milk May Have Caused Salmonella Illnesses
Family Cow raw milk and raw milk cheeses may have caused Salmonella illnesses, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and news reports. Officials are warning consumers to discard raw milk and raw milk cheeses produced by that dairy. The dairy is located at 3854 Olde Scotland Road in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. A recent spike in Salmonella illness reports prompted officials to look at the dairy. They found that a "substantial number" of 70 recent Salmonella patients said they ate Family Cow's products before getting sick. Samples of the Family Cow's products tested positive for Salmonella. The raw milk was packaged in pint, half gallon, and gallon containers. The raw milk cheeses sold in blocks include Cheddar, yellow Cheddar, garlic and chives Cheddar, Colby, … [Read more...]
FDA Starts Sampling Raw Milk Aged Cheese For H5N1 Bird Flu
The FDA has started sampling raw milk aged cheese for possible H5N1 bird flu contamination, given that dairy cows have tested positive for the virus. This testing will determine whether viable H5N1 virus is present in the cheese, and whether the FDA will need to take follow up actions to address this issue. An outbreak of H5N1 in many states triggered this assignment. The FDA is working with the USDA, the CDC, and state partners to investigate and respond to this outbreak. So far, wild birds, domesticated poultry, dairy cows, cats, and people have been sickened by this virus. Raw milk cheese is made with unpasteurized milk. This cheese must be aged for a minimum of 60 days to mitigate the risk from pathogens. Raw Farm raw milk has been recalled in California for possible bird flu … [Read more...]
BeiHollow Farm Raw Milk Cheddar Cheese Recalled For Listeria
BeiHollow Farm raw milk cheddar cheese is being recalled for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Anyone who ate that cheese is at risk of getting sick. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with the consumption of this product. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture purchased some cheese and confirmed that the product was contaminated. BeiHollow Farm is located at 314 Chubb Road in Elizabethville, in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. The cheese was sold at Racoon Valley Farm that is located at 593 Raccoon Valley Road in Millerstown in Perry County, Pennsylvania. Other locations where the cheese was sold are not known at this time. The producer has refused to recall this cheese, provide a list of outlets that sell the cheese, or cooperate with the state … [Read more...]
Raw Farm Raw Cheddar E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak Sickens 11
The Raw Farm raw Cheddar E. coli O157:H7 outbreak has now sickened at least 11 people in five states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Raw Farm voluntarily recalled their cheese on February 19, 2024 but has since withdrawn that recall. The FDA and CDC continue to recommend that people not eat the cheese because epidemiological evidence indicates that, "Raw Farm brand raw cheddar cheese is making people in this outbreak sick." In interviews with public health officials, 7 of 9 people interviewed, or 75%, said they ate Raw Farm raw Cheddar cheese before they got sick. This percentage is significantly higher than the 4.9% of respondents who reported eating any raw milk cheese in the FoodNet Population Survey. In addition, whole genome sequencing … [Read more...]
FDA Weighs in on Raw Farms Raw Cheddar E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak
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 … [Read more...]
Raw Farm Raw Cheddar Cheese E. coli Outbreak Sickens 10
A Raw Farm raw Cheddar cheese E. coli outbreak has sickened at least 10 people in four states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Four people have been hospitalized because they are so sick. Raw Farm LLC has agreed to recall products and is working with the FDA. One pound and half pound blocks of the cheese, and half pound shredded cheese was recalled on February 17, 2024. The case count by state is: California (4), Colorado (3), Texas (1), and Utah (2). The patient age range is from two to 58 years. And illness onset dates range from October 18, 2023 to January 29, 2024. One person has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a form of kidney failure. The number of patients in this outbreak is likely much higher than reported, and there may be more … [Read more...]
Hilltop Meadow Raw Pepper Jack Cheese Recalled For Listeria
Hilltop Meadow Raw Pepper Jack Cheese is being recalled for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Hilltop Meadow Farm is located at 153 Martin Road in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, in Schuylkill county. No illnesses have been reported to the company to date in connection with the consumption of this raw milk cheese. The cheese was sold in 1/2 pound, 1 pound, 2 pound, and 5 pound sizes at the on-farm store and in these stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Wisconsin: Meadow Run Farms, 727 Rettew Mill Road, Littitz in Lancaster County Pennsylvania Shady Acres Farm Market, 8514 Elizabethtown Road, Elizabethtown, in Lancaster County Pennsylvania Willow Haven Farm, 7686 Herber Road, New Tripoli, in Leigh County, Pennsylvania Healthy Habits Natural Market, 1120 … [Read more...]
Remembrance Farm Raw Milk Cheese Recalled For Listeria
Remembrance Farm raw milk cheese is being recalled for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination, according to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. The cheese is called Connecticut Hill Melter. The farm is located at 6294 Searsburg Road, Trumansburg, which is located in Tompkins County in New York. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with the consumption of this cheese. The cheese is packaged in about 0.5 pound wedges that are wrapped in cheese wax paper that is deep gold and white. The name Connecticut Hill Melter is on the package. The batch number of 042323 is printed on the label. The cheese was sold and distributed to members of the Full Plate Farm Collective Community Supported Agriculture in Ithaca, New York. A sample of the … [Read more...]
