Raw Farm Cheese Recall Warning Remains After CDC Ends E. Coli Outbreak

Washington, D.C. - Federal health officials say a multistate E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to RAW FARM-brand raw dairy products is over, but the FDA and CDC are still warning consumers, retailers, restaurants, and foodservice customers not to eat, sell, or serve recalled raw cheddar cheese.

The warning remains active because recalled cheese may still be sitting in refrigerators or freezers. The FDA says affected RAW FARM raw cheddar products were sold at retailers nationwide, with some block cheese expiration dates running into August and September 2026.

What Happened

The FDA said in its April 30 update that the outbreak investigation has ended after CDC counted nine illnesses across three states. The agency said illnesses started from September 1, 2025, to February 20, 2026.

Three people were hospitalized, and one person developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that can cause kidney failure, according to the FDA. No deaths were reported.

An earlier CDC media release said public health officials in California, Florida, and Texas investigated the outbreak with the FDA and state partners. CDC said at that point that over half of the illnesses were in children under age 5, a group the agency identifies as more vulnerable to severe foodborne illness.

The recall began April 2, when Raw Farm issued a voluntary recall covering RAW FARM-brand raw cheddar cheese in original and jalapeno block forms, shredded original cheese, and bulk original block and shredded products. The FDA said Raw Farm updated the recall language April 7.

The recalled products include original raw cheddar blocks in 8-ounce and 16-ounce sizes with expiration dates on or before August 23, 2026, and jalapeno raw cheddar blocks with expiration dates on or before September 24, 2026, according to CDC and FDA notices. The recall also covers 8-ounce bags of original shredded raw cheddar with expiration dates on or before May 13, 2026, 80-ounce original raw cheddar blocks with expiration dates on or before August 11, 2026, and 80-ounce original shredded raw cheddar with expiration dates on or before May 6, 2026.

The FDA said its investigators and state partners completed onsite inspections and collected 19 samples of RAW FARM-brand raw cheddar cheese products. One sample tested positive for E. coli O157:H7, but the FDA said whole genome sequencing linked that strain to a different 2025 outbreak rather than the current outbreak, and the cheese that tested positive was not shipped to stores or available for sale.

The agency said no additional FDA or state samples were pending analysis as of the April 30 update.

The Response

The FDA's consumer advice is direct: people should not eat, sell, or serve recalled RAW FARM-brand block or shredded raw cheddar cheeses. The agency said consumers should check refrigerators and freezers, throw away recalled products, and discard frozen cheese without original packaging if they cannot determine whether it is included in the recall.

The FDA also told consumers, restaurants, retailers, and foodservice customers to clean and sanitize any surfaces or containers that touched recalled cheese. Retailers that received recalled products and repackaged them for individual sale should remove those products from the market, according to the agency.

CDC's guidance points households toward pasteurized dairy products, especially for higher-risk groups. The agency says raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized, and that drinking or eating products made from raw milk can expose people to germs including Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, E. coli, Listeria, Brucella, and Salmonella.

The company's recall notice, posted by the FDA, says Raw Farm disputes that its products caused the outbreak but issued the recall in the interest of public health and safety. The notice also says the voluntary recall is limited to RAW FARM-brand cheddar cheese and does not cover other Raw Farm products.

Raw Farm's notice lists specific item numbers, package sizes, barcodes, batches, and expiration dates for the affected cheeses. The company advised consumers not to consume the listed batches and said they should return packages to the store where they were purchased for a full refund.

What People Are Saying

Food and Drug Administration outbreak advisory, April 30 update:

"Do not eat, sell, or serve recalled RAW FARM-brand Raw Cheddar Cheese." - Food and Drug Administration outbreak advisory, April 30 update:

"As of April 30, 2026, CDC announced that the outbreak is over. CDC reports a total of nine illnesses in three states." - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention media release:

"Over half of the illnesses are in children under the age of 5." - Raw Farm company announcement posted by the Food and Drug Administration:

"While RAW FARM reserves its rights and disputes being the cause of this outbreak, in the interest of public health and safety, RAW FARM issues this Voluntary Recall."

The Big Picture

For households, the practical risk now centers on storage. The FDA and CDC say the outbreak is over, but the recall warning remains relevant because affected cheese may have been purchased nationwide and kept for months, especially if it was frozen or separated from its original packaging.

CDC says most people infected with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli develop severe stomach cramps, diarrhea that is often bloody, and vomiting, with symptoms usually starting three to four days after swallowing the bacteria. The agency says most people recover within five to seven days, but some develop hemolytic uremic syndrome and need hospitalization.

The next step for consumers is inventory, not panic. Federal agencies are telling people to check their refrigerators and freezers, match labels and expiration dates against the recall list, throw away uncertain products, and call a health care provider right away if symptoms appear after eating RAW FARM-brand cheddar cheese.