Raw Milk Cheese Recall: E. coli Outbreak Sickens 13

A nationwide recall of raw milk cheese is underway after a multistate E. coli O26:H11 outbreak sickened 13 people across nine states, hospitalized eight, and left three with a serious kidney complication — a stark reminder that even "natural" unpasteurized dairy can carry dangerous bacteria. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are now warning consumers not to eat, sell, or serve any Sierra Nevada Graziers grass-fed raw milk cheese.

Sierra Nevada Pulls Every Graziers Raw Milk Cheese Off the Market

Sierra Nevada Cheese Company, based in Willows, California, is voluntarily recalling all Graziers Raw Milk Cheese currently on the market because of potential contamination with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O26:H11. The recall covers four grass-fed varieties: medium cheddar, sharp cheddar, jalapeño jack, and Monterey jack. The products were sold nationwide and online, mostly in 8-ounce and 16-ounce packages, with larger 5-pound food-service packages also affected.

The company halted production and shipment of its raw milk cheese immediately and notified customers who had purchased the products. Affected batches carry expiration dates ranging from May through September 2026, which means some packages could still be sitting in home refrigerators today, well within their printed dates — a key reason officials are asking consumers to check their kitchens rather than assume the product is already gone.

The evidence tying the product to the outbreak is unusually strong. According to the FDA, investigators interviewed nine people who became ill, and all nine reported eating Sierra Nevada Graziers raw milk cheese before their symptoms began. That 100% rate is a powerful epidemiological signal linking the cheese to the infections.

How the Outbreak Unfolded: A Timeline

The recall moved quickly once the link to the cheese was confirmed:

• September 24, 2026: The FDA contacted Sierra Nevada Cheese Company to notify the firm about the outbreak and recommend a recall. The company pulled every Graziers raw milk cheese from the market that same day.
• September 25, 2026: The FDA and CDC published their outbreak investigation and food safety alert, formally announcing the recall to the public.
• Late September 2026: State and local health officials confirmed 13 illnesses across nine states: California, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee, and Utah.

Why Raw Milk Cheese Carries a Bigger Health Risk

Raw milk cheese is made from unpasteurized milk that has not been heated to kill harmful bacteria. Pasteurization — heating milk to a specific temperature — is the key safety step that eliminates germs such as E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella. Without that step, even carefully made cheese can harbor pathogens that cause serious foodborne illness.

This isn't an isolated incident. Earlier in 2026, a separate E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to RAW FARM-brand raw cheddar cheese sickened seven people across three states, and in June, a Listeria outbreak tied to soft cheese prompted another recall. Cheese has also been pulled for physical hazards: in late 2025, more than 1.5 million bags of shredded cheese were recalled over potential metal fragment contamination.

Public health officials consistently advise that young children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems avoid raw (unpasteurized) dairy entirely. For everyday consumers, the takeaway is simple: the health benefits sometimes marketed with raw dairy don't outweigh the risk of infection, and pasteurized cheese delivers the same protein, calcium, and flavor with far less danger.

Inside the 13 Cases: Symptoms, Hospitalizations, and Kidney Injury

Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infections typically cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), vomiting, and a fever higher than 102°F, with symptoms usually beginning three to four days after eating contaminated food.

In this outbreak, more than half of the people who became ill are children 5 years old or younger — a group especially vulnerable to severe infection because their immune systems are still developing and they are more prone to dehydration. Eight people have been hospitalized, and three developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a potentially life-threatening complication that can cause kidney failure. HUS warning signs include fever, abdominal pain, feeling very tired, decreased urination, and unexplained bruising or bleeding. No deaths have been reported so far.

Where the Recall Stands Now

The recalled cheeses should no longer be available in stores or restaurants, and most are already past their expiration dates. Still, the FDA is asking retailers to check their shelves and consumers to check their refrigerators, because the recall applies to every Graziers raw milk cheese currently in the market — not just a single lot or batch.

Sierra Nevada Cheese Company said it is working with regulators and has paused raw milk cheese production while the investigation continues.

What to Do If You Have Graziers Cheese in Your Fridge

If you find any Sierra Nevada Graziers raw milk cheese in your kitchen, health officials recommend these steps:

• Do not eat it. Throw the cheese away or return it to the store where you bought it for a refund.
• Clean thoroughly. Wash any surfaces, utensils, and containers that may have touched the recalled cheese with hot, soapy water.
• Watch for symptoms. If you or a family member develops severe stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea, or a fever above 102°F after eating the cheese, contact a healthcare provider right away.

Symptoms can take up to a week to appear, so stay alert even if you feel fine today.

The Bottom Line: Key Takeaways

• Sierra Nevada Cheese Company is recalling all Graziers Raw Milk Cheese — medium cheddar, sharp cheddar, jalapeño jack, and Monterey jack — due to E. coli O26:H11.
• Thirteen people have been sickened across nine states; eight were hospitalized and three developed kidney-related HUS.
• More than half of those sickened are children 5 and under; no deaths have been reported.
• Raw (unpasteurized) cheese carries a higher risk of foodborne illness than pasteurized cheese.
• Check your fridge, discard or return any Graziers raw milk cheese, and clean any surfaces it touched.