FDA Links Raw Cheese to Outbreak; Maker Refuses Recall

The Food and Drug Administration has linked cheddar cheese made from raw milk to a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. Seven cases have been reported in California, Florida, and Texas, with two requiring hospitalization. Four patients were children under 3, who are at higher risk for severe illness. No deaths have been reported.

Genetic testing showed the bacteria in all cases were highly related, suggesting a common source. Three patients who were interviewed said they had eaten Raw Farm-branded raw cheddar cheese.

State officials are testing samples of the cheese, but results are not yet available. The FDA has recommended a voluntary recall, but Raw Farm has refused.

The company has strongly disputed the FDA's findings on social media, calling them false and extreme.