What the Raw Farm cheddar cheese warning means for shoppers
According to the FDA outbreak advisory, the warning covers all sizes and varieties of block and shredded Raw Farm-brand raw cheddar cheese purchased on or after Jan. 4, 2026. The agency said the cheese was sold at retailers nationwide, with sick people reporting purchases at Sprouts Farmers Market and H-E-B, and urged consumers to throw away any affected product, sanitize surfaces it touched and contact a health care provider if symptoms develop.
The CDC’s investigation update says illnesses began between Sept. 1, 2025, and Feb. 20, 2026. Of eight people with detailed medical information, three were hospitalized and one developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a complication that can cause kidney failure. More than half of the illnesses were in children younger than 5, and investigators cautioned that the confirmed case count likely understates the size of the outbreak because many people are never tested.
Why investigators focused on Raw Farm
Federal investigators said all eight interviewed patients reported consuming or being served raw dairy products, and the seven people who could identify a brand all named Raw Farm. Five sick people in 2026 reported eating Raw Farm raw cheddar cheese, while two people who became ill in 2025 reported drinking Raw Farm raw milk. The FDA said it again recommended that Raw Farm voluntarily remove its raw cheese from the market, but as of March 30 said the firm had not responded. In a statement posted on its website, Raw Farm said it “100% disagree[s]” with the FDA’s “possible link” and allegations. Read the company’s official statement here.
Raw Farm cheddar cheese warning adds to a longer trail of scrutiny
This latest warning does not stand in isolation. A March 2024 CDC investigation concluded that Raw Farm-brand raw cheddar cheese made people sick in an earlier multistate E. coli outbreak, even though product samples collected in that case did not detect the bacteria. Then, an Associated Press report published in July 2024 said at least 165 people were sickened in a salmonella outbreak tied to Raw Farm products, the largest reported salmonella outbreak linked to raw milk in the United States in the previous decade. California health officials also secured a broad Raw Farm recall in Dec. 2024 after bird flu contamination concerns involving the company’s raw milk and cream products.
Why health officials keep pushing pasteurized dairy
The CDC’s raw milk guidance says products made from unpasteurized milk can expose consumers to E. coli, salmonella, listeria and other pathogens. That warning is especially important for children younger than 5, pregnant women, older adults and people with weakened immune systems, all groups that face a higher risk of severe illness. Until the outbreak closes, federal officials are making the same basic point: choose pasteurized milk and dairy products, and do not eat Raw Farm raw cheddar cheese covered by the current warning.
For consumers, the message is straightforward. Check refrigerators and freezers for Raw Farm raw cheddar cheese bought since Jan. 4, discard it, clean anything it touched and watch for symptoms such as severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting or dehydration. With the investigation still active, the Raw Farm cheddar cheese warning is not a wait-and-see notice — it is a clear directive to act now.
