Raw Farm Recalls Unpasteurized Cheese While Denying Link to E. coli Outbreak
Raw Farm LLC, the producer of unpasteurized (raw) cheddar cheese products that are the suspected vehicle of illness in an ongoing Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak, has issued a voluntary, limited recall after weeks of refusing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) advice to do so.
Recall Performed “Under Protest”
The company released a statement alongside the recall, which states that the recall is being “performed under protest” and “as a path forward.” The company “continues to contest the epidemiological links provided by the FDA” and asserts that no pathogens have been found in Raw Farm product samples or in samples collected by FDA or state public health departments.
The recall is limited to certain batches of Raw Farm-brand raw cheddar cheese products, a list of which can be found on FDA’s website, here.
In previous statements, Raw Farm said it “absolutely disagrees” with FDA’s implication of Raw Farm products in this outbreak, saying that the company tests every batch of cheese prior to its release to the market, as well as the milk that is used to produce cheese prior to production.
“Based on the evidence and facts we’ve reviewed… for the first time in our company’s history we declined a voluntary recall. In the past, we’ve had recalls, we’ve owned it… this is different,” Raw Farm President and Owner Aaron McAfee said in a video published to the company’s website.
Following this initial refusal, Raw Farm and FDA faced pressure from the Congressional Food Safety Caucus to remove suspected products from the market with urgency.
In a statement to Food Safety Magazine explaining why Raw Farm opposed a recall, Founder Mark McAfee said the company "operates a ThermoFisher PCR pathogen lab and had 14,000 negative test results for the time period [in which people fell ill."
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Outbreak Details
At present, nine people in three states have been sickened by the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7. More than half of the patients in the outbreak are younger than five years old. Cases have been reported in California (seven), Texas (one), and Florida (one). The illnesses range between September 1, 2025 and February 20, 2026.
The clinical isolates from outbreak patients are closely genetically related, determined by whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis.
Epidemiological Evidence Pointing to Raw Farm
Epidemiologic evidence points to raw dairy products produced by Raw Farm LLC of Fresno, California as the likely vehicle of illness.
Of the eight patients interviewed, seven reported consuming Raw Farm-brand dairy products, and the eighth person reported consuming raw milk but did not remember the brand.
In 2026, five people reported consuming Raw Farm-brand Cheddar Cheese, and in 2025, two people reported consuming Raw Farm-brand raw milk.
In coordination with state public health partners, FDA has initiated an onsite inspection at Raw Farm’s operation in Fresno, California. As part of the investigation, state partners have begun collecting product samples for testing and analysis.
Update, April 16, 2026: During its investigation of the ongoing outbreak involving Raw Farm cheddar cheese, FDA detected E. coli O157:H7 in a product sample not matching the current outbreak strain, but instead matching a strain from a different 2025 outbreak. Details here.
Update, April 30, 2026: The outbreak has ended. Congressmembers questioned why FDA did not use its mandatory recall authority in this outbreak during an April 29 hearing. Read more here.
Update, May 4, 2026: The article was edited to include a statement from Raw Farm.
