Raw Farm LLC Recalls Raw Cheddar After FDA Pressure, E. coli Outbreak Linked to Child Hospitalizations

Raw Farm LLC has issued a recall for its raw cheddar cheese, but only after 21 days of refusing the Food and Drug Administration's requests. The FDA and CDC investigation directly links the product to a multi-state E. coli O157:H7 outbreak, with seven of nine confirmed patients having consumed the cheese. The outbreak's severity is underscored by the fact that more than half of those sickened are children under five, with three hospitalizations and one case of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a potentially fatal condition that can lead to kidney failure and brain damage.

The California-based dairy had previously claimed its raw milk cheese could not be the source of the pathogen, a stance it maintained until the recall announcement. The outbreak spans from coast to coast, with patients identified in California, Texas, and Florida. Illness onset dates range from September 1, 2025, to February 20, 2026, indicating a prolonged period of potential consumer exposure.

The delayed recall and initial defiance of federal regulators place Raw Farm under intense scrutiny for its food safety protocols and corporate responsibility. The involvement of young children as a significant portion of the cases raises serious questions about the product's risk profile and the company's duty of care. Public health officials warn that the confirmed case count likely underrepresents the true scale of the outbreak, suggesting more illnesses may yet be identified.