A California dairy company has agreed to pull several varieties of raw cheddar cheese from shelves following a federal investigation into an E. coli outbreak, after initially resisting calls for a recall.
Raw Farm, located in Fresno, California, announced Thursday it would voluntarily withdraw more than half a dozen types of cheddar cheese produced from unpasteurized milk. The affected products have expiration dates ranging from May 2026 through September 2026.
The popularity of raw milk products has grown significantly in recent years, driven by social media promotion and backing from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again initiative. Unlike pasteurized milk, raw milk hasn’t undergone heat treatment that eliminates harmful bacteria such as E. coli, salmonella, listeria and campylobacter.
Federal health officials launched their investigation last month after reports emerged of E. coli poisoning among consumers who had used the company’s products. The Food and Drug Administration had previously asked the company to issue a recall.
During a facility inspection conducted last week, FDA investigators did not discover any positive E. coli test results in the company’s current product samples, according to an agency update.
The dairy company emphasized this finding in Thursday’s recall announcement and stated it was issuing the recall “under protest” while seeking to establish “a path forward.”
“This voluntary recall is limited to Raw Farm-brand cheddar cheese, and no other products are being voluntarily recalled,” the company said.
Federal regulations give the FDA power to mandate product recalls when there’s reasonable concern about serious harm or fatalities, though companies must first be given the chance to comply voluntarily.
According to FDA reports from last week, the outbreak has affected nine individuals, including children.
Health investigators interviewed eight victims, with seven confirming they had consumed Raw Farm products. Two people reported drinking the company’s milk in 2025, while five others said they consumed or were served Raw Farm raw cheddar cheese in 2026.
Laboratory analysis of E. coli samples from the affected individuals reveals closely matching genetic patterns, suggesting victims in this outbreak “share a common source of infection,” federal officials stated.
Federal law prohibits interstate commerce of unpasteurized milk for human consumption. Individual states maintain varying rules governing raw milk sales, with some permitting retail store sales while others restrict sales to farm locations only. Certain states permit “cowshare” arrangements where consumers purchase milk from specific animals, while others limit consumption to farm owners, workers or “non-paying guests.”
