While the FDA and CDC continue an investigation of Listeria in cheese from a farm in California, things apparently are getting worse for the consumer as another issue involving cheese has been identified. According to the FDA Cheddar Cheese has been associated illnesses caused by E.Coli as a new investigation is under way. Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), including E. coli O157:H7 like this recall has found, can be particularly dangerous. The primary sources of STEC outbreaks are raw or undercooked ground meat products, raw milk and cheeses, and contaminated vegetables and sprouts.
Raw Farm was contacted by the FDA and CDC regarding the epidemiological possibility that Raw Farm raw cheddar cheese might have caused some illnesses within a date range of October 18th 2023 and January 31 st 2024. During this period, there were ten fecal samples collected from patients in 4 states that appeared to match one another in the National PULSENET database. As of February 16, 2024, a total of 10 confirmed infections have been reported from four states, including CA (4), CO (3), TX (1), and UT (2). Whole genome sequencing analysis of E. coli isolates from ill people shows that they are all closely related genetically to each other. This means that people in this outbreak are likely to share a common source of infection. Four patients have been hospitalized; one developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure. At this time no deaths have been reported.