Raw cheddar cheese from Raw Farm, the largest distributor of raw milk in the United States, has been linked to a multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identified the California-based company's product as the 'likely source' of cases reported in California, Florida and Texas, although no Raw Farm products have tested positive for the bacteria.
Seven people have fallen ill between September 2025 and February, with the majority of cases affecting children aged three and younger. The E. coli strain can cause severe diarrhoea, abdominal cramps and, in rare instances, acute kidney failure leading to hospitalisation or death.
Raw Farm has declined to voluntarily recall its products despite the FDA's recommendation. A company spokesperson, Kaleigh Stanziani, stated that Raw Farm '100% disagree[s] with the FDA's false possible link' and confirmed that all its products had tested negative for harmful bacteria.
The latest development follows a previous contamination event in December 2024, when raw milk from Raw Farm was recalled after retail samples tested positive for bird flu. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has long advised against consuming raw milk due to the risk of dangerous bacteria, yet its popularity has grown, encouraged by Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, a known advocate. Raw Farm's CEO, Mark McAfee, has claimed Kennedy is a long-time customer.
