E. coli Outbreak Linked to Raw Cheddar Cheese
Fast Facts
- Illnesses: 11
- Hospitalizations: 5
- Deaths: 0
- States: 5
- Recall: No
- Investigation status: Closed
Outbreak Investigation Summary
Data showed that Raw Farm brand raw cheddar cheese made people in this outbreak sick.
- Seven sick people reported eating Raw Farm brand raw cheddar cheese in the week before they got sick.
- CDC warned against all raw cheese products from this firm. The outbreak investigation is now over, but this product has a long shelf life.
Raw Farm brand raw cheddar cheese that sick people may have eaten included:
- Flavors included original and jalapeno
- All sizes of blocks with best by dates through 10/4/2024
- All sizes of shredded cheese packages with best by dates through 5/10/2024
What You Should Do
- Be aware that unpasteurized dairy products are more likely to contain germs than pasteurized dairy products.
- Check your refrigerators and freezers for Raw Farm brand raw cheddar cheese products with the best by dates listed above and throw them away.
- Wash items and surfaces that may have touched the contaminated cheese using hot soapy water or a dishwasher.
Symptoms of E. coli
- Most people infected with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli experience severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting.
- Symptoms usually start 3 to 4 days after swallowing the bacteria.
- Most people recover without treatment after 5 to 7 days.
- Some people may develop serious kidney problems (hemolytic uremic syndrome, also called HUS) and would need to be hospitalized.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/raw-milk-cheese-2-24/index.html