Federal health officials are investigating an E. coli outbreak linked to cheddar cheese made from raw milk after at least seven people in three states, including young children, have been sickened. California-based Raw Farm made the cheese that is the “likely source” of the outbreak, accordin g to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, though no Raw Farm products have tested positive for E. coli during the outbreak period, the FDA noted. Illnesses were reported between September 2025 and mid-February, the agency said. Five cases were reported in California and one each in Florida and Texas. More than half of the illnesses were in children aged 3 or younger. Two people were hospitalized. The FDA said interviews with three people who got sick found that all three reported eating Raw Farm brand raw milk cheddar cheese. Analysis of samples from sick patients showed that the E. coli isolates that caused their infections were closely genetically related, investigators found. The two Raw Farm-brand products linked to the outbreak are: All sizes of the original block “Raw Cheddar” All sizes of the original shredded “Raw Cheddar” The FDA recommended that Raw Farm voluntarily remove its raw cheese products from sale, but the company has declined. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged consumers to “consider not eating” the products. Mark McAfee, owner of Raw Farm, said he refused to recall the products because investigators have not definitively linked them to any illnesses, telling The Associated Press “they have found no pathogens in any of our products.” He disputed the FDA’s findings that the cases were genetically linked and said that the announcement of the outbreak was premature. “We disagree 100% with the allegations made by the FDA and CDC,” the company wrote, in part, in a statement. “All our milk is tested prior to making cheese and our finished cheese is tested prior to release. We have no customer complaints at this time.” Officials are working to gather information from the additional four cases. The investigation is continuing to determine the source of contamination and whether additional products are linked to illnesses. E. coli bacteria can cause infections with symptoms that include dehydration, diarrhea and cramps. Most people recover within a week, but some people can become severely ill and develop a dangerous kidney condition. Children under age 5 and older adults are most at risk. This isn’t the first time Raw Farm has been linked to an outbreak. In 2024, the company’s raw milk was tied to dozens of salmonella cases. Federal health officials have long warned against drinking raw milk because of the health risks, and sales of raw milk across state lines have been banned since 1987. People who drink raw milk, which has not gone through the heat process of pasteurization, can be exposed to pathogens including bird flu, brucella, tuberculosis, salmonella, campylobacter, cryptosporidium and E. coli, according to the FDA. But raw milk has surged in popularity in recent years. Before joining the second Trump administration, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had proclaimed himself to be a fan of the unpasteurized dairy choice. Since becoming Health Secretary, however, Kennedy has largely steered clear of the issue, despite a push by raw milk advocates to change federal policy on raw milk. ...read more read less