Raw Farm LLC Refused FDA Recall for Weeks as E. coli Found in Raw Cheese

Federal inspectors have discovered E. coli contamination in raw cheddar cheese produced by Raw Farm LLC, a California dairy already linked to an active outbreak. The finding intensifies scrutiny on the company, which refused a Food and Drug Administration request to recall its product for three weeks. The contamination was identified in one of 19 samples tested, and while the strain does not match the current outbreak, it matches patients from a 2025 outbreak, raising serious questions about persistent safety issues.

The ongoing outbreak has sickened nine people across California, Texas, and Florida, with three requiring hospitalization. One patient has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a severe condition that can lead to kidney failure and brain damage. More than half of those affected are children under five years old, highlighting the heightened risk to vulnerable populations. The FDA's initial recall request in March was based on an epidemiological link between Raw Farm's cheese and the outbreak patients, a request the company initially defied.

The dairy's delayed compliance with the recall order and the discovery of a separate, historical strain of E. coli in its product signal significant regulatory and operational pressure. This pattern of contamination and non-cooperation places Raw Farm LLC under intense federal scrutiny and exposes systemic risks within the raw milk cheese sector. The case underscores the potential consequences for producers who resist public health directives during foodborne illness investigations.