RAW FARM LLC has voluntarily recalled several varieties of raw cheddar cheese “under protest” in response to repeated recommendations from the FDA.

The recalled cheeses have been implicated through epidemiological data collected by the CDC to nine-case outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections. More than one-half of the outbreak victims are children under the age of five. Three outbreak victims have been hospitalized, and one has developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

Of the eight victims interviewed, all reported having consumed or being served unpasteurized milk or cheese. Seven of the eight specifically mentioned consuming Raw Farm brand dairy products. Five of the seven had consumed Raw Farm cheddar cheese prior to becoming ill.

The company has resisted repeated FDA recommendations to recall the implicated products. In its recall notice, headed simply “Voluntary Recall,” RAW FARM repeats its assertions that the company’s products are not the source of the outbreak, beginning the recall notice with the following announcement:

Company Announcement

• No pathogens have been found in RAW FARM-brand cheese products.
• No pathogens have been found in FDA samples collected directly or samples collected by state Health Department officials.
• RAW FARM continues to contest the epidemiological links provided by the FDA.
• This Voluntary Recall is being performed under protest.
• This Voluntary Recall is performed as a path forward.
• RAW FARM proudly makes truly raw cheddar cheese from milk that is not pasteurized or thermalized and is fully compliant with C.F.R section 133.113.

Here is a list of the products included in the recall announcement, which includes batch numbers produced up to and including the indicated dates.

An FDA inspection of the RAW FARM LLC production plant, including sampling of the environment and finished products for the presence of E. coli O157:H7, is in progress. To date, the FDA has not reported any positive results. Nevertheless, the epidemiological evidence is strong.

As eFoodAlert reported previously, the company has a checkered history with both the FDA and the California Department of Health. Two years ago, its raw cheeses were linked epidemiologically to an eleven-case outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses, and in 2023/2024, RAW FARM-brand unpasteurized milk was found to be the source of a 171-case outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium illnesses in the state of California. On that occasion, the outbreak strain was recovered from samples of the company’s raw milk.

What consumers need to know

Although raw milk and other dairy products made with raw (unpasteurized) milk are not permitted to be shipped for retail sale across state lines, they are legal for retail sale within a number of states, including California.

According to the FDA, since 1987 and up to March 2024, there have been 143 recorded outbreaks of illnesses in the United States associated with consumption of raw milk and raw dairy products. These include outbreaks of Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter, Salmonella, and shiga toxin-producing E. coli (such as E. coli O157:H7).

If you consumed a RAW FARM, LLC cheese product and you develop symptoms of gastrointestinal upset within the few days following consumption, consider seeking medical treatment, especially if your symptoms include one or more of the following:

• Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F
• Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving
• Bloody diarrhea
• So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
• Signs of dehydration, such as:
  • Not peeing much
  • Dry mouth and throat
  • Feeling dizzy when standing up

Interested in learning more about food safety and the history of foodborne disease outbreaks and investigations?

Click on the link to listen to a short excerpt, then follow the buy links to add a digital, print or audio copy to your personal library.