LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – An E. coli outbreak linked to raw milk cheese has left at least ten people ill across four states, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Raw Farm brand raw cheddar cheese is the culprit behind the outbreak, which has impacted individuals in California, Texas, Utah, and Colorado. The cheese was sold nationwide at popular retailers such as Sprout’s Market, Erewhon Market, and H-E-B.
The CDC issued a food safety alert covering all blocks and shredded packages of raw cheddar cheese from Raw Farm sold in the country. The recall encompasses both original and jalapeño flavors of the infected cheddar cheese, which have led to hospitalizations but no fatalities. The agency has advised anyone who purchased the affected cheese to dispose of it immediately, wash any surfaces it may have come into contact with, and seek medical attention.
Symptoms of E. coli include diarrhea lasting more than three days, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue, and losing color in the cheeks and inside the lower eyelids. E. coli is a diverse group of bacteria found in the environment, foods, and the intestines of people and animals.
Raw Farm LLC, the company behind the contaminated cheese, has not yet responded to media requests for comment. This outbreak comes as another blow to food safety, as 24 Hour Fitness recently filed for bankruptcy reorganization, and nearly 43,000 pounds of ground beef were recalled due to possible E. coli contamination. These events raise concerns about the current state of food safety and government regulations in the United States.