Raw cheddar cheese from Raw Farm, the largest raw milk distributor in the United States, has been identified as the likely source of a multistate E coli outbreak, according to US health officials.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the cheese was linked to E coli O157:H7 infections in California, Florida and Texas. Seven people have fallen ill between September 2025 and February, with most cases involving children aged three and younger. The strain can cause diarrhoea, abdominal cramps and, in rare cases, acute kidney failure, which may lead to hospitalisation or death. No Raw Farm products have tested positive for the bacteria.
Raw Farm has declined to issue a voluntary recall despite FDA recommendations. A spokesperson, Kaleigh Stanziani, rejected the agency's "false possible link" and maintained that all products had been confirmed negative for harmful bacteria, including E coli O157:H7. She also denied any action was being taken by California authorities.
The development follows an earlier recall in December 2024, when California recalled several raw milk products from Raw Farm after two retail samples tested positive for bird flu. Those infected samples were detected during testing by Santa Clara County officials. Bird flu has been spreading since 2022, particularly among poultry and cows, with California the first state to detect the virus in cows and 16 further states also reporting infections.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has long cautioned against consuming raw milk, which is more likely to harbour dangerous bacteria. Despite this, raw milk consumption has risen in recent years, prompting concern among health experts. Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, an advocate of raw milk, has pledged support for farmers who sell it. Raw Farm's chief executive, Mark McAfee, has said Kennedy was a longtime customer.
