FDA Warns North Dakota May Be At Risk From Tainted Cheese

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Ten people in four states (California, Utah, Colorado, and Texas) have tested positive for an E. coli strain that epidemiological data linked to raw cheddar cheese from Raw Farm as of February 16th, according to the CDC. Raw Farm willingly recalled three varieties of cheddar cheese after receiving notification from the federal agency and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about a possible association between the brand's products and the illnesses.

The diseases occurred between October 18, 2023, and January 29, 2024, according to the CDC. The government reported that out of the nine cases for which data is available, four required hospitalization and one had hemolytic uremic syndrome, an extremely rare and dangerous disorder that can lead to kidney failure and blood clots. According to reports, no one has died.

The actual number of people infected with the virus is probably substantially greater and present in more states than what has been reported, according to health officials. That's because a lot of people get well from E. coli infections without ever going to the doctor or getting tested. In addition, the CDC noted that it usually takes three to four weeks to ascertain if a sick individual is associated with an outbreak.

The federal agencies are advising customers not to eat or sell the expired cheese items included in the Raw Farm recall as they complete their investigation. Out of the eight sick individuals it has spoken with, six have acknowledged consuming the recalled items.

For the exact batch and barcode numbers involved in Raw Food's recall, click here.

Consistent recalls of cheese and other dairy products owing to contamination concerns have occurred recently, coinciding with the announcement.

Rizo Lopez Foods, Inc.'s cotija and queso fresco were implicated in a listeria outbreak, prompting the Food and Drug Administration to issue a public health warning last week. The FDA then broadened the warning after more businesses admitted to using the potentially tainted cheeses in their goods; this included items offered at Walmart and Costco.

The recall announcement from Trader Joe's about multiple cheese items was made days before the update. The recall also includes products from Bright Farms, Dole, H-E-B, and 365 Whole Foods Market, among other well-known brands. The items are now available at Sprouts, Vons, Albertsons, and Safeway, among others.

According to federal data, eleven states have reported 26 cases of listeria associated with cheese. Two incidents resulted in fatalities, while 23 entailed hospitalizations.