A block of cheese can sit in the refrigerator for weeks, sometimes forgotten, but usually an everyday staple in a house with children.
And once the original packaging is removed, it can be difficult to remember exactly when or where it was purchased.
It is now relevant, with a new nationwide cheese recall linked to an E. coli outbreak that has resulted in 8 hospitalizations so far.
Sierra Nevada Cheese Company has recalled all of its Graziers grass-fed raw milk cheeses after federal health officials linked the products to a multistate outbreak of E. coli O26.
Thirteen people across nine states have become sick, and eight, or 62%, have been hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Three people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, a serious condition that can cause kidney failure. No deaths have been reported.
More than half of the people sickened are children aged 5 or younger.
Sierra Nevada recalls raw milk cheese nationwide
The recall covers these Sierra Nevada Graziers’ grass-fed raw milk cheeses:
- Medium cheddar
- Sharp cheddar
- Jalapeño Jack
- Monterey Jack
The products were sold at retailers nationwide and online in 8-ounce and 16-ounce packages.
Here’s some of my coverage on previous recalls:
- Popular Walmart frozen meal recalled over possible listeria
- Grocery giant recalls applesauce over potentially harmful toxin
- Walmart, Harris Teeter recall fruit bars over glass risk
Five-pound loaves were also distributed to food-service businesses and wholesalers.
So far, cases have been reported in 9 states.
- California
- Colorado
- Georgia
- Kentucky
- Michigan
- Nevada
- Oregon
- Tennessee
- Utah
Illnesses began between July 7 and Aug. 26.
Of the nine people interviewed by public health officials about what they ate before becoming sick, all nine reported eating Sierra Nevada Graziers’ raw milk cheese.
The FDA contacted Sierra Nevada Cheese Company on Sept. 24 and recommended a recall.
The company agreed and began recalling the cheeses that same day.
The investigation remains ongoing as regulators work to determine the source of the contamination and whether other products could be affected.
Another raw dairy E. coli outbreak sickened children this year
This is not the first E. coli outbreak involving raw dairy products in March, 2026.
Earlier this year, federal health officials investigated an E. coli O157 outbreak linked to Raw Farm raw cheddar cheese and raw milk.
That outbreak ultimately sickened nine people across California, Florida, and Texas.
Three people were hospitalized, and one developed HUS. The CDC declared the outbreak over in April.
More recently, an E. coli outbreak linked to frozen organic blueberries sickened 17 people and hospitalized six before the CDC declared it over on Sept. 21.
The CDC advises consumers not to eat any of the recalled Graziers cheese and to throw it away or return it for a refund.
As a parent, it can get scary, but the best bet is to remove anything even remotely unclear to guarantee safety.
Anyone who no longer has the original packaging and cannot determine whether cheese is included in the recall should throw it away, according to the FDA.
Surfaces or containers that touched the cheese should also be cleaned and sanitized.
The CDC recommends choosing pasteurized milk and dairy products, particularly for children under 5, who face a greater risk of severe foodborne illness.
