## RAW FARM LLC Raw Milk Cheese Confirmed with E. coli in Multi-State Outbreak; Dairy Recalls 'Under Protest'
Federal inspectors have confirmed E. coli contamination in raw milk cheddar cheese from RAW FARM LLC, directly linking the Fresno, California dairy to an active outbreak that has sickened at least nine people across three states. The company initially resisted recall demands from regulators but has now issued a recall for the implicated cheese, doing so 'under protest'—a move that signals significant tension between the producer and food safety authorities.

The outbreak underscores the persistent risks associated with raw, unpasteurized dairy products. This incident mirrors a deadly 2025 E. coli outbreak in France, where scientists definitively traced three fatalities and 18 confirmed infections to the consumption of raw cow's milk cheese. These parallel cases highlight a recurring, severe public health hazard tied to this product category, raising urgent questions about regulatory oversight and consumer warnings.

Adding pressure on U.S. agencies, a new report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) is sharply critical of federal handling of contaminated food recalls. The report documents significant delays in recall announcements by the USDA and notes instances where the FDA chose not to issue public alerts. This scrutiny places the responsiveness and transparency of the nation's primary food safety regulators under a harsh spotlight, as they manage concurrent crises involving resistant producers and potentially deadly pathogens.
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- **Source**: Food Safety News
- **Sector**: The Lab
- **Tags**: Food Safety, E. coli Outbreak, Raw Milk, FDA, USDA
- **Credibility**: unverified
- **Published**: 2026-04-19 12:52:25
- **ID**: 71184
- **URL**: https://whisperx.ai/en/intel/71184