A California raw milk dairy linked to a previous bird flu outbreak in cats has been connected to an E. coli outbreak involving cheddar cheese, sickening nine people across three US states. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that over half of those affected are children under five years old.
Three individuals have been hospitalised after contracting the dangerous O157:H7 strain of E. coli, with one developing hemolytic uremic syndrome, a condition that can lead to kidney failure. The illnesses occurred between September 2024 and February 2025, with seven cases in California and one each in Florida and Texas.
The farm identified is Raw Farm in Fresno, California, the largest raw milk producer in the US. The FDA named it as the 'likely source' of the outbreak. In December 2024, Raw Farm was linked to H5N1 bird flu in three Los Angeles-area cats that consumed raw milk, two of which died. The farm was also responsible for a 2024 salmonella outbreak that sickened 165 people.
Raw Farm president Aaron McAfee told NBC News he will not voluntarily recall products without 'direct proof' linking them to illnesses. He noted that 81 samples purchased from retail stores tested negative for E. coli. The FDA has not issued a mandatory recall but recommended voluntary removal of cheese products from shelves.
An FDA spokesperson stated the investigation is ongoing, with an on-site inspection initiated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises consumers to consider not eating the cheese while the investigation continues and to thoroughly clean any surfaces or utensils that may have come into contact with it.
