More people have fallen ill amid an ongoing outbreak linked to raw dairy products, and at least one person has developed a serious complication.
More cases of E. coli poisoning, a foodborne illness, have been traced to Raw Farms-brand unpasteurized cheeses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said in an update Thursday, March 26. A total of nine people have been confirmed sick across the three states, more than half of whom are children under 5, according to the agencies.
Three people have been hospitalized, and one developed a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, which causes kidney damage and failure.
The affected cheeses have not yet been removed from the market because Raw Farms, which has been linked to several high-profile outbreaks, has refused the FDA’s request to recall its products, the agency said. The FDA is awaiting further sample testing to confirm the source of the outbreak.
Here’s what you need to know about the outbreak.
Which cheese is affected?
The outbreak has been traced to cheddar cheese products sold by Raw Farms Brand. This also includes:
- Original Flavor Raw Farm Cheddar Cheese.
- All sizes of raw farm block and shredded cheese packages.
- Two people were also reported sick from Raw Farms-brand raw milk in 2025, according to the CDC, but those products have already been removed from shelves.
Which states have cases of E. coli?
As of March 26, nine people in three states were ill, including two hospitalized. More than half of the cases involved children under 5 years of age.
- California (seven cases)
- Florida (one case)
- Texas (one case)
What to do with affected cheddar cheese?
Raw Farms rejected the FDA’s request to voluntarily recall its cheese products, a decision that was criticized by the Congressional Food Safety Caucus, which has called on the food safety agency to exercise its authority to recall its cheese products.
While the investigation continues, the FDA and CDC advise against eating any affected items and throwing them away. Surfaces that may have touched the cheese should be washed and sanitized with hot, soapy water.
What is Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, or STEC?
The outbreak strain of E. coli associated with cheese has been identified as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, or STEC. According to the FDA, this type of E. coli is known to cause a serious kidney condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS.
According to the Mayo Clinic, children are more likely to suffer from HUS, which causes damage to the blood vessels. This causes red blood cells to break down, causing anemia and clotting in the blood vessels. These clots can damage the kidneys and other organs and cause kidney failure or even death.
As of Thursday, March 26, one case of HUS has been reported to the FDA. No deaths have been recorded.
Symptoms of E. coli poisoning
According to the CDC, symptoms of E. coli poisoning appear two to eight days after exposure and usually last about a week. These may include:
- Diarrhea and fever over 102°F
- diarrhea lasting more than three days
- bloody diarrhea
- Vomiting so much that you can’t keep fluids down
- Symptoms of dehydration, such as dry mouth, less urination, and dizziness.
- Stomach cramps, pain or bloating.
According to the Mayo Clinic, HUS has some additional symptoms, including:
- Yellowness or loss of color in the skin.
- Extreme fatigue.
- Injuries easily.
- Abnormal bleeding, such as bleeding from the nose and mouth.
- Decreased urination or blood in the urine.
- Swelling in the legs, feet, or ankles, called edema.
- Confusion, seizures or stroke.
- high blood pressure.
What to know about raw/unpasteurized dairy?
Raw Farms, based in Fresno, California, is a seller of raw or unpasteurized dairy products, or dairy that has not been heated to kill harmful germs.
The process of pasteurization became routine in commercial milk supplies in the United States in the 1920s and became widespread by the 1950s. As a result, diseases commonly spread through milk became less prevalent.
While misinformation about the process has led some people to believe that pasteurized milk is less nutritious or better for people with lactose intolerance, pasteurization does not significantly compromise the nutritional value or content of milk. In some states it is illegal to sell raw milk directly to the consumer.
Raw milk may contain many harmful bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria and Staphylococcus aureus. These bacteria cause many diseases, including listeriosis, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, diphtheria, Guillain-Barré syndrome, abortion, brucellosis, chronic inflammatory conditions, reactive arthritis, and death.
US representatives demand withdrawal of raw dairy products
On March 20, members of the Food Safety Caucus issued a joint statement with 10 members of the U.S. House of Representatives calling for the FDA to intervene. Raw Farms, the largest commercial producer of unpasteurized dairy products in the United States, has been the source of several outbreaks over the past two decades.
“FDA recommended that Raw Farms voluntarily remove its raw cheese products from sale because they determined it was the likely source of the ongoing E. coli outbreak,” the committee said in a March 20 statement. “Raw Farms refuses. We have a message for Raw Farms and the FDA: Remove it from shelves now.”
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has historically been a supporter of raw dairy products and is particularly known for his ties to Raw Farms. In June 2024, Raw Farms claimed that the RFK campaign had visited its farm, saying that RFK “protected the interests of the American people. That same month, Kennedy publicly stated that he “only drinks raw milk.”
“Secretary Kennedy’s connection to Raw Farms and the FDA’s lack of action here raise serious questions. At the very least, this is potentially a conflict of interest. At the worst, Secretary Kennedy is once again playing a dangerous game with the health of Americans,” the Food Safety Caucus statement said.
USA TODAY contacted HHS and Raw Farms for comment on March 27, but did not receive a response.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: E. coli outbreak linked to cheese grows. See affected states, objects.
Reporting by Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY/USA TODAY
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect