Since the last update on March 15, 2026, two additional illnesses have been reported in California. A total of 9 people in 3 states – 7 in California, 1 in Florida, and 1 in Texas – were reported to be infected with the E. coli outbreak strain.
Illness began between September 1, 2025 and February 20, 2026. Of the eight people with information available, three were hospitalized and one developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that can cause kidney failure. No deaths were reported. More than half of the disease occurs in children under 5 years of age.
State and local public health officials are interviewing people or their caregivers about what they ate in the week before they became sick. Of the eight people interviewed in this outbreak, all eight (100%) reported consuming or being served unpasteurized milk or cheese. This percentage was significantly higher than the 6.4% of respondents who reported consuming raw or unpasteurized milk or cheese in the FoodNet Census, a survey that helps people estimate how often they eat various foods linked to diarrhea. These differences suggest that the people involved in this outbreak contracted the disease by eating raw dairy products.
Seven out of eight people interviewed had brand information. One person drank raw milk but did not know the brand. Raw Farm brand dairy products were reported by 7 out of 7 interviewees (100%) who were aware of the brand. In 2026, five people reported consuming or being served Raw Farm brand raw cheddar cheese. In 2025, two sick people reported consuming Raw Farm brand raw milk.
The FDA, in collaboration with state partners, has begun field testing at RAW FARM, LLC. To date, the FDA is not aware of any positive results. E. coli Testing of RAW FARM brand raw cheddar cheese products from this period. FDA will update this advisory as additional information becomes available.
Previous Raw Farm outbreaks and/or recalls
| March 2026 | Raw milk and pasteurized cheese | E. coli O157:H7 | 1 in 9 diseases is hemolytic uremic syndrome |
