HEALTH & WELLNESS
Information, Prevention & Quality of Life
By Dr. Laura Méndez
Health Analyst
The Sun Post News
September 26, 2026
A new nationwide food-safety alert is putting raw-milk products back under scrutiny after federal health authorities linked a multistate E. coli outbreak to cheese distributed across the United States.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and public health agencies are investigating an outbreak of Escherichia coli O26:H11 associated with Sierra Nevada Graziers raw-milk cheese.
As of the FDA’s September 25 update, 13 people in nine states had become ill, eight had been hospitalized, and three had developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a potentially serious complication that can lead to kidney failure.
No deaths had been reported.
Although Florida is not currently among the states reporting confirmed cases, the affected cheese was distributed nationwide and sold online, making the warning relevant to consumers in Central Florida and throughout the state.
The message for families is straightforward: check refrigerators and freezers now.
Which Products Were Recalled?
The investigation involves Sierra Nevada Graziers grass-fed raw-milk cheese.
The recall includes four varieties:
Medium Cheddar.
Sharp Cheddar.
Jalapeño Jack.
Monterey Jack.
The cheeses were sold to consumers in 8-ounce and 16-ounce packages and were also distributed to restaurants, food-service establishments and wholesalers in five-pound blocks.
The FDA is advising consumers, restaurants and retailers not to eat, sell or serve the recalled products.
Cheese presents an additional challenge during a recall because it can remain refrigerated for a considerable period and may also be frozen.
That means a consumer could have purchased an affected product weeks ago and still have it at home.
If the cheese has been removed from its original packaging and a consumer cannot determine whether it is part of the recall, federal authorities recommend discarding it.
The Evidence Pointing to the Cheese
The epidemiological findings are particularly significant.
Public health investigators interviewed nine people who became sick, or their caregivers, about foods they had eaten during the week before their symptoms began.
All nine — 100% of those interviewed — reported eating Sierra Nevada Graziers raw-milk cheese.
That finding alone does not complete the microbiological investigation, but it represents strong epidemiological evidence connecting the illnesses to the product under investigation.
On September 24, the FDA contacted Sierra Nevada Cheese Company and recommended a recall.
The company agreed and initiated a recall of the affected Graziers Raw Milk Cheese products that same day.
The investigation remains active as authorities work to determine the exact source of contamination and whether additional products may be involved.
Cases Reported in Nine States
As of September 25, illnesses had been identified in California, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee and Utah.
Florida is not currently on that list.
But there is an important distinction between where patients have been identified and where a recalled product was sold.
The cheese had national distribution.
Therefore, a Florida resident could have an affected product even if no illness associated with the outbreak has yet been confirmed in the state.
Outbreak numbers can also change.
It often takes time for a sick person to seek medical care, undergo laboratory testing and have the results connected epidemiologically to an existing outbreak.
The 13 confirmed cases should therefore not automatically be interpreted as the final number of people affected.
What Is E. Coli O26:H11?
Escherichia coli represents a large group of bacteria.
Many strains normally live in the intestines of humans and animals without causing disease.
Others can produce toxins capable of causing serious gastrointestinal illness.
The strain involved in this outbreak, E. coli O26:H11, belongs to a group known as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, or STEC.
These bacteria can cause severe abdominal cramps, diarrhea — sometimes bloody — nausea, vomiting and fever.
Symptoms often begin several days after exposure to contaminated food, although the FDA notes that illness can sometimes develop as long as nine days later.
Many people recover.
Others can develop much more serious complications.
Three Patients Developed a Serious Kidney Complication
One of the most concerning findings in the outbreak is that three of the 13 identified patients developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, commonly known as HUS.
HUS can cause kidney failure.
The syndrome can occur when an infection and associated toxins damage small blood vessels, potentially affecting the kidneys and other organs.
Warning signs can include decreased urination, extreme fatigue, unusual paleness and unexplained bruising.
Anyone who develops symptoms after consuming a recalled product should seek medical evaluation.
Bloody diarrhea, signs of significant dehydration or decreased urination deserve particular attention.
Who Is Most at Risk?
Anyone can become ill after consuming food contaminated with harmful bacteria.
Certain groups, however, face a greater risk of severe illness and complications.
These include young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.
Children younger than five are particularly vulnerable to serious complications from certain Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infections.
For higher-risk individuals, choosing pasteurized milk and dairy products is an especially important preventive measure.
Raw Milk: “Natural” Does Not Mean Bacteria-Free
Raw-milk products have developed a following among some consumers seeking foods they consider more natural, traditional or less processed.
From a microbiological perspective, however, there is an important distinction.
Raw milk has not undergone pasteurization.
Pasteurization uses controlled heat to destroy dangerous microorganisms while preserving the major nutritional benefits of milk.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, unpasteurized milk can contain disease-causing organisms including E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter, Brucella and Cryptosporidium.
Good hygiene practices on a farm can reduce contamination risks, but they cannot guarantee that raw milk is free of dangerous pathogens.
That is why public health authorities recommend pasteurized dairy products, particularly for people at greater risk of serious illness.
An Important Clarification: Not All Cheese Is Dangerous
This outbreak does not mean families should stop eating cheese.
It also does not mean every artisan cheese or every product from every cheesemaker presents the same risk.
The current warning involves specific Sierra Nevada Graziers products made from raw milk.
Pasteurized cheeses remain a safer option from the standpoint of foodborne infections.
Even pasteurized products, however, should be properly refrigerated and handled to reduce the possibility of contamination after production.
Consumers should distinguish between a targeted recall and a warning against an entire category of food.
What Florida Consumers Should Do
Even though Florida has no confirmed cases associated with this outbreak at this time, nationwide distribution makes the recall relevant to our readers.
Families should check refrigerators and freezers for Sierra Nevada Graziers cheese in the recalled varieties.
If you find an affected product, do not eat it.
Follow the recall instructions for returning or safely discarding the cheese.
Consumers should also thoroughly clean containers, refrigerator shelves, cutting boards and utensils that may have come into contact with the recalled product.
This matters because bacteria can potentially move from contaminated food onto surfaces or other foods.
Do Not Self-Treat a Suspected Infection
An infection involving Shiga toxin-producing E. coli should not be treated with antibiotics or anti-diarrheal medications without medical guidance.
Treatment depends on the specific infection and the patient’s condition.
With certain STEC infections, antibiotics may increase the risk of developing hemolytic uremic syndrome.
Medications intended to stop diarrhea are also inappropriate for some patients.
Anyone who consumed recalled cheese and subsequently becomes ill should tell their healthcare provider about that exposure.
That information may help determine which tests should be performed and how the illness should be managed.
HEALTH ALERT: When to Seek Medical Care
Contact a healthcare professional if you consumed recalled cheese and develop severe diarrhea, significant abdominal pain, persistent vomiting or fever.
Seek more urgent evaluation for bloody diarrhea, significant dehydration, decreased urination, unusual paleness, extreme weakness or unexplained bruising.
Symptoms may begin several days after exposure.
Feeling well immediately after eating the product does not necessarily mean that illness will not develop later.
What Is Confirmed — and What Is Still Under Investigation
Several facts have been established.
There is a multistate outbreak of E. coli O26:H11.
Thirteen illnesses have been identified.
Eight patients have been hospitalized.
Three developed hemolytic uremic syndrome.
All nine people interviewed about their recent food consumption reported eating the raw-milk cheese under investigation.
The affected products had nationwide distribution and have been recalled.
What remains under investigation is the precise source of contamination, whether additional products are involved and whether more cases will be identified.
There is currently no published evidence establishing that a Florida resident has become ill as part of this outbreak.
Two Minutes in Your Refrigerator Could Prevent a Serious Illness
Food recalls can seem distant when the first patients live hundreds or thousands of miles away.
But modern food distribution does not stop at state lines.
Where people became sick does not necessarily tell us everywhere a contaminated product may have been sold.
That is precisely why this warning matters in Florida.
Cheese can remain in a refrigerator for weeks and even longer in a freezer.
For Central Florida families, the immediate action is simple:
Check your refrigerator and freezer, identify any Sierra Nevada Graziers raw-milk cheese, and do not consume the recalled varieties.
Most foodborne illnesses are preventable.
In this case, a few minutes spent checking what is stored at home could help prevent an infection serious enough to cause hospitalization — and, in the most severe cases, kidney damage.
