Graziers Raw Milk Cheese Recalled Nationwide Amid E. coli Investigation

Updated September 30, 2026. Sierra Nevada Cheese Company of Willows, California, has voluntarily recalled all Graziers raw milk cheese currently in the market because it may be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O26:H11. The company announced the recall September 28, and the Food and Drug Administration published the notice September 29. Distribution was nationwide through retailers, distributors and direct customers.

Which products are included?

The recall covers Graziers raw milk Monterey Jack, Jalapeño Jack, Medium Cheddar and Sharp Cheddar in listed retail packs, as well as larger food-service loaves and blocks. The FDA’s product table gives package sizes and UPCs. Investigators have not narrowed the concern to a specific lot, date code or production date, so a consumer should not assume a package is unaffected because of its printed date. The company says it stopped production and shipment of Graziers raw milk cheese.

The FDA’s outbreak investigation update reported 13 illnesses in nine states as of September 25: California, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee and Utah. Eight people had been hospitalized, three developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, and no deaths were reported. All nine people interviewed had reported eating Graziers raw milk cheese. The epidemiological link specifically identified Medium Cheddar; the broader recall covers the other varieties as a precaution while the source of contamination remains under investigation. The last reported illness onset in that update was August 26, and case counts can change.

What purchasers should do

The FDA says consumers should not eat or serve the recalled cheese. Return it to the store for a refund or dispose of it. Restaurants and retailers should not sell or serve it. Anyone who develops symptoms after eating it should contact a health care provider, particularly because this strain can cause severe illness. The CDC’s current outbreak page and FDA pages carry the latest product and investigation details.

The recall concerns a named brand and product group, not every raw milk cheese. For other consumer product developments, see AskNovus Shopping coverage.

Sources: Sierra Nevada Cheese Company notice posted by FDA September 29, 2026; FDA outbreak update dated September 25, 2026; CDC outbreak advisory. Featured image: David Foodphototasty / Unsplash, illustrative cheese photograph, not a product identification image.