If there is a block of specialty cheese tucked into the back of your refrigerator—or wrapped and waiting in the freezer—this is one recall worth checking carefully.
Federal health officials are investigating a multistate outbreak of E. coli O26:H11 infections linked to Sierra Nevada Graziers grass-fed raw-milk cheese, and the numbers investigators have collected so far are striking.
Of the nine people interviewed about what they ate before becoming sick, all nine reported eating Sierra Nevada Graziers grass-fed raw-milk cheese.
The outbreak has now been associated with 13 illnesses across nine states. Eight people have been hospitalized, and three have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, a potentially life-threatening complication that can cause kidney failure.
No deaths have been reported.
And there is another detail that may especially concern parents:
More than half of the people sickened are children age 5 or younger.
On September 24, the FDA contacted Sierra Nevada Cheese Company about the outbreak and recommended a recall. The company agreed that day to recall all Graziers Raw Milk Cheeses.
The FDA and CDC are telling consumers not to eat the recalled products.
Read the FDA’s official E. coli outbreak investigation and see photos of the recalled cheese
Which Cheeses Are Being Recalled?
The recall involves Sierra Nevada Graziers grass-fed raw-milk cheeses in four varieties:
Medium cheddar
Sharp cheddar
Jalapeño jack
Monterey jack
At retail, the cheeses were sold in 8-ounce and 16-ounce packages.
The cheeses were also distributed to food-service customers and wholesalers in 5-pound loaves, which means consumers could potentially encounter cheese that had been repackaged by a retailer rather than still being in the manufacturer’s original packaging.
The products were sold at retailers nationwide and online.
That nationwide distribution is why families shouldn’t assume this recall matters only to people living near the California cheesemaker.
Don’t Look for Just One Lot Number
This is an especially important part of the recall.
Consumers sometimes hear about a food recall and immediately start looking for a particular lot number, UPC or expiration date.
That’s not the best approach here.
The FDA says Sierra Nevada Cheese Company initiated a recall of all Graziers Raw Milk Cheeses after being contacted about the outbreak.
So if you find Sierra Nevada Graziers raw-milk medium cheddar, sharp cheddar, jalapeño jack or Monterey jack in your refrigerator or freezer, don’t assume it is safe simply because you can’t find a particular date or lot number mentioned in a news story.
The FDA’s advice is straightforward:
Do not eat, serve or sell the recalled cheese.
Why Investigators Are Focusing on This Cheese
Foodborne illness investigations can be complicated.
When several people become sick with the same strain of a bacterium, investigators don’t automatically know which food caused the illnesses.
State and local health officials interview people about what they ate in the days before becoming sick. Investigators then look for foods that appear unusually often among the people in the outbreak.
In this investigation, officials have interviewed nine sick people or their caregivers.
Nine out of nine—100%—reported eating Sierra Nevada Graziers grass-fed raw-milk cheese.
CDC compared that with data from its FoodNet Population Survey.
In that survey, only 4.9% of respondents reported eating unpasteurized, or raw-milk, cheese.
CDC says the substantial difference suggests that people in this outbreak became sick from eating raw-milk cheese.
Investigators have another important piece of evidence.
Whole genome sequencing showed that bacteria from the sick people’s samples are closely related genetically, suggesting the people in the outbreak became sick from the same food.
The FDA nevertheless says its investigation remains ongoing as officials work to determine the source of the contamination and whether any other products may be affected.
That distinction matters.
There is strong epidemiological evidence linking the outbreak to the recalled cheese, but investigators are still working to determine how the contamination happened and whether the scope extends further.
How Many People Have Become Sick?
As of September 25, federal health officials have identified:
13 illnesses
9 states
8 hospitalizations
3 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome
0 deaths
The illnesses have been reported in:
California
Colorado
Georgia
Kentucky
Michigan
Nevada
Oregon
Tennessee
Utah
Illnesses began between July 7 and August 26, 2026.
But families shouldn’t look at that list of nine states and conclude that cheese in another state is unaffected.
The recalled product was distributed nationwide, and CDC cautions that the outbreak may not be limited to states where illnesses have already been identified.
The Actual Number of Illnesses Could Be Higher
Thirteen confirmed illnesses doesn’t necessarily mean only 13 people became sick.
CDC says the true number of illnesses is likely much higher.
Many people who develop E. coli infections recover without seeking medical care and therefore are never tested.
There is also a delay between when someone becomes sick and when investigators determine that the illness belongs to an outbreak. CDC says that process can typically take three to four weeks.
So the numbers reported in an active outbreak investigation are better understood as confirmed cases investigators have identified—not necessarily a complete count of everyone affected.
Why Parents Should Pay Particular Attention
The age information in this outbreak stands out.
The 13 people identified so far range in age from 1 to 58 years old, with a median age of just 5.
More than half are children age 5 or younger.
Young children are among the groups at greater risk of severe complications from foodborne illness.
CDC specifically advises choosing pasteurized milk and dairy products for children under 5 because they are more likely to develop severe foodborne illness.
This outbreak also includes three cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome, commonly called HUS.
HUS is a serious complication that can lead to kidney failure and hospitalization.
That doesn’t mean everyone who develops an E. coli infection will develop HUS.
But it helps explain why health officials are treating the outbreak seriously even though the overall confirmed case count is relatively small.
What Does “Raw-Milk Cheese” Mean?
Raw-milk cheese is made with milk that has not been pasteurized.
Pasteurization heats milk to temperatures designed to kill harmful germs that can cause foodborne illness.
Raw milk and products made from it can potentially contain disease-causing organisms, including certain types of E. coli.
This recall doesn’t mean every raw-milk cheese on the market is part of the outbreak.
The current warning concerns the recalled Sierra Nevada Graziers grass-fed raw-milk cheeses identified by federal investigators.
Still, CDC recommends pasteurized dairy products as the safer choice, particularly for people at higher risk of severe foodborne illness.
Check the Freezer Too
It’s easy to hear “cheese recall” and open only the refrigerator.
FDA specifically says consumers should check both refrigerators and freezers.
That’s because these cheeses have a long shelf life.
Some families also freeze blocks of cheese when they buy in bulk, find a sale or simply realize they won’t finish a package quickly enough.
A recalled product sitting in the freezer can easily remain there long after a news alert disappears from social media.
So check:
The refrigerator cheese drawer.
Extra refrigerators in a garage or basement.
Freezers.
Chest freezers.
Any wrapped cheese that was removed from its original packaging.
And if someone in your household routinely buys specialty cheeses, make sure they know about the recall too.
What if You Removed the Original Packaging?
This is another situation where the FDA’s advice is unusually clear.
If you refrigerated or froze cheese without the original packaging and cannot tell whether it is part of the recall, throw it away.
Don’t rely on appearance or smell.
Food contaminated with disease-causing bacteria does not necessarily look spoiled.
And don’t taste a piece to determine whether it seems normal.
If you can’t determine whether unpackaged cheese is one of the recalled products, FDA says to discard it.
What Should You Do if You Find the Recalled Cheese?
Don’t eat it.
Don’t serve it to someone else.
Don’t give it away.
The FDA says consumers can throw the recalled cheese away or return it to the place of purchase for a refund.
If you dispose of it at home, make sure children, pets or someone else in the household cannot retrieve and eat it.
There is another step families shouldn’t overlook.
Clean Anything the Cheese Touched
If recalled cheese has been sitting in your refrigerator for days or weeks, simply throwing away the package may not be the end of the job.
FDA advises consumers, restaurants and retailers to carefully clean and sanitize surfaces or containers that came into contact with the recalled cheese to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
Think beyond the refrigerator shelf itself.
That could include:
Cheese-storage containers.
Cutting boards.
Knives.
Serving boards.
Reusable bags.
Refrigerator drawers or shelves.
Containers used to store partially opened cheese.
Wash your hands carefully after handling the product and clean items that may have contacted it.
See CDC’s consumer instructions for the E. coli outbreak
What Symptoms Should Families Watch For?
Symptoms of an E. coli infection can begin within a few days after eating contaminated food or as long as nine days later.
FDA says symptoms can include:
Severe stomach cramps
Diarrhea
Fever
Nausea
Vomiting
Some infections can cause severe or bloody diarrhea.
CDC advises contacting a healthcare provider for symptoms including diarrhea with a fever above 102°F, diarrhea lasting more than two days without improvement, bloody diarrhea, vomiting severe enough that liquids can’t be kept down, or signs of dehydration.
Signs of dehydration can include not urinating much, dry mouth or throat, and feeling dizzy when standing.
The FDA specifically advises consumers who ate the recalled cheese and develop symptoms of E. coli infection to contact their healthcare provider immediately.
HUS Is One of the Most Serious Complications
One number in this outbreak deserves particular attention:
Three of the 13 confirmed patients have developed HUS.
Hemolytic uremic syndrome is a potentially life-threatening complication of some E. coli infections that can cause kidney failure.
It is one reason parents should not dismiss severe gastrointestinal symptoms in a young child after possible exposure to recalled food.
This isn’t a situation for trying to determine at home whether symptoms are “probably just a stomach bug” when a known exposure may have occurred.
Tell the healthcare provider about the recalled cheese and the possible E. coli exposure.
Does Cooking the Cheese Make It Safe?
The federal advice isn’t to find another way to use the recalled cheese.
It’s to not eat it.
Don’t turn it into grilled cheese.
Don’t put it on pizza.
Don’t bake it into a casserole.
Don’t serve it to someone who isn’t in a high-risk group.
And don’t assume cooking is an appropriate workaround for a recalled food product.
FDA’s recommendation is to throw the recalled cheese away or return it for a refund.
Don’t Confuse This With Every Other Cheese Recall
There have been multiple cheese-related food-safety stories in 2026, which makes confusion possible.
This outbreak specifically involves E. coli O26:H11 and Sierra Nevada Cheese Company’s Graziers grass-fed raw-milk cheeses.
It is a different outbreak from other recent investigations involving different cheese brands and pathogens.
When checking your refrigerator, use the product information from the current FDA investigation rather than assuming every cheddar, Monterey jack or specialty cheese is affected.
The four varieties involved here are:
Graziers Medium Cheddar
Graziers Sharp Cheddar
Graziers Jalapeño Jack
Graziers Monterey Jack
in the recalled raw-milk product line.
Why the “9 Out of 9” Number Matters
A statement that everyone interviewed ate the same food is understandably attention-grabbing.
But it is important to understand what the number does—and doesn’t—mean.
It means that of the nine sick people or caregivers investigators had interviewed, every one reported consuming Sierra Nevada Graziers grass-fed raw-milk cheese before the illness.
It does not mean nine out of every nine people who eat the cheese will become sick.
Nor does it mean investigators have completed every part of the investigation.
Instead, the 100% exposure rate is one piece of epidemiological evidence. Investigators combine information like that with laboratory testing, genetic analysis, traceback information and other evidence when investigating an outbreak.
In this case, CDC also reports that bacteria taken from sick people are closely related genetically, which suggests the illnesses came from the same food.
The FDA says its investigation is still underway to determine the source of contamination and whether additional products may be affected.
The Recall Is Nationwide Even Though Cases Have Been Found in Nine States
This distinction may be the most important practical takeaway.
Confirmed illnesses have currently been identified in nine states.
The cheese, however, was distributed nationwide and online.
So a family living in Texas, Florida, New York or another state not currently listed among the confirmed cases shouldn’t ignore the recall simply because no illness has yet been reported there.
Check the product, not the outbreak map.
A Two-Minute Refrigerator Check Is Worth Making
Most of us have food sitting in the refrigerator that we couldn’t identify by brand without looking at the package.
Cheese may be especially easy to forget.
A block gets opened, wrapped back up and pushed toward the rear of a drawer.
Another goes into the freezer.
Someone buys specialty cheese for a gathering and leftovers remain weeks later.
That’s exactly why the FDA is telling consumers to check their refrigerators and freezers.
Look specifically for Sierra Nevada Graziers grass-fed raw-milk medium cheddar, sharp cheddar, jalapeño jack and Monterey jack.
If you find it, don’t eat it.
Return it for a refund or throw it away, and clean surfaces and containers that may have touched it.
If you’ve already eaten the recalled cheese and develop symptoms associated with E. coli infection, contact your healthcare provider and tell them about the possible exposure.
And if you find a block of cheese that might be one of these products but no longer has its packaging, FDA’s advice removes the guesswork:
If you can’t tell whether it’s part of the recall, throw it away.
Sources
FDA — E. coli O26:H11 Raw Milk Cheese Outbreak Investigation
CDC — Investigation Update for the September 2026 E. coli Outbreak
CDC — E. coli Outbreak Linked to Raw Milk Cheese: Consumer Guidance