A California dairy, already under scrutiny for spreading a fatal avian flu to household cats, is now implicated in a multi-state outbreak of a dangerous strain of E. coli linked to its raw cheddar cheese, with young children making up the majority of those sickened.
E. Coli Outbreak Targets Young Children
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has identified nine confirmed cases of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) across three states—seven in California, one in Florida, and one in Texas. According to the agency, more than half of those affected are children under five years old, with four of the patients aged three or younger. The illnesses began between 1 September 2025 and 20 February 2026.
The strain involved, E. coli O157:H7, is particularly virulent. Three people have required hospitalisation, and one of those patients has developed haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS). The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that HUS is a severe condition where toxins destroy red blood cells, causing them to clog the kidneys, which can lead to kidney failure, long-term health complications, or death.
Investigators from the FDA and state partners have used whole genome sequencing to analyse the bacteria from the ill individuals. The agency states the samples are all closely related genetically, pointing to a single source of contamination. Epidemiological evidence strongly points to Raw Farm-brand raw cheddar cheese, with interviews revealing that a high percentage of those sickened had consumed it.
A History of Pathogens and Outbreaks
The farm at the centre of the alert, Raw Farm LLC of Fresno, is no stranger to food safety incidents. The FDA describes it as the largest producer of raw milk in the US, and its products have been linked to a series of outbreaks over the years.
Just months ago, in December 2024, the farm was identified by officials as the source of H5N1 bird flu in three Los Angeles-area cats that had consumed its raw milk; two of the animals died. That same year, the farm was linked to what officials called the largest Salmonella outbreak in over a decade, which sickened at least 165 people.
This latest E. coli alert adds to a long history for the producer. According to public health records, Raw Farm has been associated with multiple previous E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks, including incidents in December 2024, 2024, 2016, 2011, and 2006. These past outbreaks have collectively caused dozens of illnesses and several cases of HUS. The company’s products have also been linked to outbreaks of Campylobacter and Listeria monocytogenes.
Farm’s Defiance and Regulatory Pressure
In response to the current outbreak, the FDA has recommended that Raw Farm voluntarily remove its raw cheese products from the market and has initiated an on-site inspection at its Fresno facility. However, the company’s president and owner, Aaron McAfee, has refused to issue a recall.
McAfee told NBC News he would not act without “direct proof” linking his products to the illnesses, asserting that the company tests every batch and that 81 recent retail samples were negative for pathogens. He stated that Raw Farm “100% disagrees” with the FDA’s allegations, calling the agency’s advisory “premature, misleading, and unsupported by the available evidence” and characterising its actions as “egregious and extreme harassment.”
As of 26 March, no Raw Farm cheese products from the outbreak period have tested positive for E. coli, though product testing by state officials is ongoing. The situation has drawn political attention, with members of the Congressional Food Safety Caucus urging the FDA to use its mandatory recall authority. The CDC continues to advise consumers to consider not eating the cheese and to thoroughly clean any surfaces it may have touched. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has issued a separate advisory telling consumers to discard any Raw Farm-brand raw cheddar cheese they possess.