Nine people in three states have been sickened by E. coli linked to raw cheddar cheese from a California dairy. More than half of them are children under five. One person has developed kidney failure.

The Food and Drug Administration first announced the outbreak on March 15, 2026, with seven confirmed cases. By March 26, two more illnesses had been identified in California, Florida, and Texas. Three people have been hospitalized, and one developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS — a life-threatening complication in which Shiga toxin produced by the bacteria destroys small blood vessels in the kidneys. No deaths have been reported.

The epidemiological evidence points squarely at Raw Farm, the largest producer of raw dairy products in the United States. Of eight people interviewed by investigators, all eight reported consuming unpasteurized dairy. Seven knew the brand. Every one of them named Raw Farm. Whole genome sequencing of patient isolates indicates patients likely share a common source of infection.

Raw Farm has refused the FDA’s recommendation to voluntarily pull its cheese from store shelves. The company continues to deny any link to the outbreak, according to Ars Technica.

Now the congressional Food Safety Caucus is pressing the FDA to use its mandatory recall authority. In a joint statement, members including Representatives Rosa DeLauro and Mark Takano wrote: “A company should not be able to flatly refuse a recall recommendation. That puts consumers health at risk to protect the profits of a corporation.”

The caucus also flagged what it called a “potentially concerning conflict of interest”: Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a longtime Raw Farm customer.

The FDA has initiated an onsite inspection at Raw Farm’s facility. To date, the agency reports no positive E. coli tests from cheese produced during the outbreak period. Illness onset dates range from September 2025 through February 20, 2026. The CDC has urged consumers to consider not eating Raw Farm cheese products.

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