Graziers Raw Milk Cheese Recall: E. coli Outbreak Sickens 13

Sierra Nevada Cheese Company recalled all Graziers raw milk cheeses on September 24, 2026, after federal officials linked them to an E. coli O26:H11 outbreak. CDC and FDA report 13 illnesses in 9 states, 8 hospitalizations and 3 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure. Do not eat the recalled cheese; throw it away or return it.

Key takeaways

• Sierra Nevada Cheese Company recalled all varieties of Graziers raw milk cheese on September 24, 2026, after federal health officials linked the dairy line to an E. coli O26:H11 outbreak.
• 13 people in 9 states have been sickened; 8 were hospitalized and 3 developed hemolytic uremic syndrome. Over half of the sick people are children 5 or younger.
• Recalled items encompass grass-fed raw milk Medium Cheddar, Sharp Cheddar, Jalapeno Jack, and Monterey Jack in 8 oz and 16 oz retail packages, as well as bulk 5 lb wholesale loaves.
• Because aged cheeses possess extended shelf lives, consumers should check refrigerators and freezers immediately, discard any unidentifiable cheese wedges, and sanitize storage bins.

What happened in the Graziers raw milk cheese recall?

On September 24, 2026, FDA contacted Sierra Nevada Cheese Company to notify it of the outbreak and recommend a recall. The company agreed and started a recall of all Graziers raw milk cheeses that same day. On September 25, 2026, FDA and CDC published their outbreak notices; FDA lists the investigation as ongoing.

Documented illness onset dates range from July 7, 2026, through August 26, 2026. A total of 13 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O26:H11 have been reported across nine states: California, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee, and Utah.

State and local health officials interviewed sick people about the foods they ate in the week before they got sick. Of the 9 people interviewed, all 9 (100%) reported eating Graziers raw milk cheese. CDC says that is significantly higher than the 4.9% of respondents who reported eating unpasteurized (raw) milk cheese in its FoodNet Population Survey.

Whole genome sequencing showed that bacteria from sick people's samples are closely related genetically, which CDC says suggests people in this outbreak got sick from the same food. CDC also cautions that the true number of sick people is likely higher than reported, because many people recover without medical care and are never tested.

What changed for consumers and retailers?

The recall covers every Graziers raw milk cheese. According to the FDA Outbreak Investigation Notice, the company recalled all Graziers raw milk cheeses rather than specific lots. Public health details provided through the CDC Raw Milk Cheese Outbreak Alert and the comprehensive CDC Investigation Details Page show that it covers retail packs sold to shoppers as well as 5 lb loaves sold to food service customers and wholesalers.

The specific cheese styles named in the recall include:

• Graziers Grass-Fed Raw Milk Medium Cheddar
• Graziers Grass-Fed Raw Milk Sharp Cheddar
• Graziers Grass-Fed Raw Milk Jalapeno Jack
• Graziers Grass-Fed Raw Milk Monterey Jack

FDA says the cheeses were sold at retailers nationwide and online. Retail packs are 8 oz or 16 oz; the 5 lb loaves went to food service customers and wholesalers, and FDA's advice also covers retailers that repackaged the cheese for individual sale.

The notices do not list UPCs, lot codes or best-by dates, because every Graziers raw milk cheese is included. They also do not name individual stores.

Who is affected by this bacterial outbreak?

The human burden of this outbreak falls disproportionately on vulnerable demographics. Patient ages across the 13 documented cases range from 1 to 58 years old, but the median age is only 5 years old. Over half of the people sickened are children aged 5 or younger. CDC notes that children under 5 are more likely to get a severe foodborne illness.

Of the 13 people with information available, 8 (62%) were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported, but 3 people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The notices do not give the ages of the people who developed HUS.

FDA describes HUS as a type of kidney failure that some Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infections can cause. It can also lead to high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease and neurologic problems. Most people with these infections have severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody) and vomiting; symptoms can begin a few days after eating contaminated food or up to nine days later.

The same tools, interviews about what sick people ate plus whole genome sequencing, are how investigators tied this month's broccoli sprouts Salmonella outbreak to a single product.

What it means for shoppers inspecting dairy labels?

FDA and CDC both stress that these cheeses have a long shelf life, so a block bought weeks ago may still be in the fridge or freezer. Check for any Graziers raw milk cheese.

When checking cheese at home:

• Check brand and style names: Inspect the front label for "Graziers," "Raw Milk," or "Grass-Fed" text on Medium Cheddar, Sharp Cheddar, Jalapeno Jack, or Monterey Jack packages.
• Look for the words "raw milk" or "unpasteurized": they tell you the cheese was not made from pasteurized milk. If a cheese does not say "pasteurized" and you cannot confirm it, treat it as raw milk cheese.
• Check repackaged cheese: FDA tells retailers that repackaged recalled cheese for individual sale not to sell it. If you refrigerated or froze cheese without its original packaging and cannot tell whether it is part of the recall, throw it away.
• Clean surfaces: CDC suggests washing items and surfaces that may have touched the recalled cheese with hot soapy water or in a dishwasher.
• Watch for symptoms: CDC says to call a healthcare provider right away for bloody diarrhea, diarrhea with a fever above 102°F, diarrhea lasting more than 2 days without improving, vomiting so severe you cannot keep liquids down, or signs of dehydration.

For more on what each part of a package tells you, see our guide on how to read a food label.

The background on raw milk safety regulations

Under Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the FDA permits the sale of raw milk cheese in interstate commerce only if the cheese has been cured or aged at a temperature not less than 35 degrees Fahrenheit for a minimum of 60 days. Aging, salt and acidity are meant to reduce the risk from pathogens, but aging is not a kill step the way pasteurization is.

Raw milk cheese is manufactured using milk that has not undergone thermal pasteurization, commonly done by heating milk to 161 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 seconds to kill disease-causing bacteria.

Healthy-looking cattle can carry Shiga toxin-producing E. coli in their intestines, so milk can pick up bacteria on the farm. CDC advises choosing pasteurized milk and dairy products, especially for children under 5, and FDA has long supported pasteurization as a basic public health measure to kill dangerous bacteria in milk.

What to watch next in the ongoing investigation?

FDA says its investigation is ongoing to determine the source of contamination and whether any other products are affected, and that the advisory will be updated when more information is available. The notices do not say where the contamination came from.

CDC notes that recent illnesses may not be reported yet because it takes time to confirm whether a sick person is part of an outbreak, and that the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses, so case counts can rise in later updates.

Aurascan is a free food-label scanner in beta (iOS TestFlight, with a waitlist for other devices). It explains each ingredient on a label one by one, with cited evidence, using product data from Open Food Facts, USDA and barcode databases. Scan your next cheese to see its full ingredient list, including whether the milk is listed as pasteurized.