Raw milk cheese recalled nationwide after E. coli outbreak sickens 13
All Graziers raw milk cheeses are being pulled from the market nationwide after the products were tied to an E. coli outbreak that has sickened more than a dozen people, many of them young children.
Raw milk cheese produced by Graziers has been recalled across the nation due to an E. coli outbreak affecting 13 individuals. The Sierra Nevada Cheese Company initiated the voluntary recall on September 24, following the alert from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The recalled products include four types of grass-fed raw milk cheeses: medium cheddar, sharp cheddar, jalapeño jack, and Monterey jack.
These cheeses were sold in 8-ounce and 16-ounce packages in stores, online, and to restaurants and wholesalers in 5-pound loaves. As of September 25, the outbreak has resulted in 13 people falling ill across nine states, with eight hospitalizations and no reported fatalities. The majority of the patients were young children, aged five or under.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified that all 13 cases were connected to Graziers cheese, and three patients developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a severe kidney complication associated with certain E. coli infections. The company has not been able to trace the illnesses to a specific lot or date code, hence the recall of all Graziers raw milk cheese currently in circulation.
Consumers are advised to discard any remaining cheese from their refrigerators or freezers and clean any surfaces that the cheese may have touched. The CDC also advises washing items in hot, soapy water or the dishwasher, and recommends choosing pasteurized milk and dairy products, particularly for children under five, as they are more susceptible to severe illness from food poisoning.
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