E. Coli Outbreak Linked To Cheese Declared Over; Sickened 4 In CA: FDA

CALIFORNIA — A multi-state E. Coli outbreak linked to cheese sold nationwide — and that sickened 11 people in five states — has been declared over, federal health officials said Tuesday.

Cheddar and shredded cheese produced by RAW FARM sickened four people in California, three in Colorado, two in Utah, and one in New Jersey and Texas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Five people were hospitalized and two developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure.

No deaths were reported, and the last case was reported on Feb. 5.

The CDC and U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigated the outbreak along with state and local partners, sampling products from Colorado, California, and Utah. All samples were negative for E. coli, the FDA said.

However, while E. coli wasn't found in the samples, the FDA said epidemiologic evidence showed that RAW FARM-brand Raw Cheddar cheese was the likely source of the outbreak.

"As of March 26, 2024, CDC announced that the outbreak is over," the FDA said.

The FDA recommended people do not eat, sell, or serve the recalled cheese products.

"If you froze a product without the original packaging and can’t identify the brand or best by date, throw it away," the FDA said.

Products Affected:

All sizes of RAW FARM-brand Raw Cheddar cheese blocks, Original Flavor and Cheddar with added Jalapeno Flavor, with best-by dates through Oct. 4, 2024

All sizes of RAW FARM-brand Raw Cheddar shredded cheese, Original Flavor and Cheddar with added Jalapeno Flavor, with best-by dates through May 10, 2024.

Symptoms

E. coli symptoms can begin within a few days after eating contaminated food, and as far out as nine days later. Symptoms include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and/or vomiting.

The severity the symptoms can depend on the type of E. coli causing the infection. Some infections can cause severe bloody diarrhea and lead to possibly deadly conditions, such as hemolytic uremic syndrome, or the development of high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, and neurologic problems.