A California raw milk dairy linked to a previous bird flu outbreak in cats is now associated with an E. coli outbreak involving cheddar cheese, affecting nine people across three states. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that over half of those sickened are children under five, with three hospitalised and one developing hemolytic uremic syndrome, a condition that can lead to kidney failure.
The outbreak strain is E. coli O157:H7, with illnesses occurring between September last year and February 2026. Seven cases are in California, with one each in Florida and Texas. The farm identified is Raw Farm in Fresno, California, the largest US raw milk producer. The FDA named it as the 'likely source' earlier this month.
Raw Farm has a history of outbreaks: in December 2024, it was linked to H5N1 bird flu in three Los Angeles-area cats that consumed raw milk, two of which died. In 2024, it was also tied to the largest salmonella outbreak in over a decade, sickening at least 165 people.
Raw Farm president Aaron McAfee told NBC News he will not voluntarily recall products without 'direct proof' linking them to illnesses. No Raw Farm products have tested positive for E. coli, and the FDA has not issued a mandatory recall but recommends voluntary removal of cheese products from shelves.
McAfee stated that 81 samples purchased from California retail stores all tested negative. An FDA spokesperson said the investigation is ongoing, with an on-site inspection initiated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises consumers to consider avoiding the cheese and to wash any items that may have contacted it.
