Follow-Up: E. Coli Outbreak Linked to Sierra Nevada Raw Milk Cheese Ends With 18 Sickened in 10 States
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on November 13 that the multistate outbreak of E. coli O26:H11 infections linked to Sierra Nevada Graziers grass-fed raw milk cheese is over, and the FDA's outbreak investigation has closed. A total of 18 people infected with the outbreak strain were reported from 10 states: California, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee, and Utah.
According to information collected by the CDC and state partners, illnesses started on dates ranging from July 7 to September 20, 2026. There were 9 hospitalizations and 3 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome, and no deaths. Of the 15 ill people interviewed, all 15 reported consuming Sierra Nevada Graziers grass-fed raw milk cheese before getting sick.
As part of the investigation, the California Department of Public Health collected opened samples of Sierra Nevada Graziers raw medium cheddar cheese from a sick person's home; the samples tested positive for E. coli and matched the outbreak strain by whole genome sequencing. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development also collected an opened sample of the same cheese from a consumer's home, and testing by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services showed it was positive for a different strain of E. coli.
The recalled cheeses are the medium cheddar, sharp cheddar, jalapeno jack, and Monterey jack varieties, sold at retail in 8-ounce or 16-ounce packages and to food service customers and wholesalers in 5-pound loaves. They were sold at retailers nationwide and online and were also distributed to the Republic of Korea. Sierra Nevada Cheese Company initiated a recall of all Graziers raw milk cheeses on September 24, 2026, after the FDA notified the firm about the outbreak, and the recalled product should no longer be for sale.
Because the recalled product has a long shelf life, the FDA is reminding consumers to check their homes for any recalled Sierra Nevada Graziers raw milk cheeses and throw them away or return them to the place of purchase for a refund. Cheese that was refrigerated or frozen without its original packaging and cannot be identified should also be discarded. Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should carefully clean and sanitize any surfaces or containers the cheese touched, and anyone who ate the recalled cheese and develops symptoms of an E. coli infection should consult a health care provider immediately.
(Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：食品药品监管局（FDA）公布的被召回 Sierra Nevada Graziers 四款草饲生牛奶酪。美国食品药品监管局官方图。 / Photo: The four recalled Sierra Nevada Graziers grass-fed raw milk cheeses, in an official U.S. Food and Drug Administration photo.
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