Georgian sickened in E. coli outbreak connected with California company's raw milk cheese
A multistate E. coli outbreak connected with cheese made from raw milk has made 13 people sick, including one in Georgia, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.
According to an announcement by the federal agency, the Sierra Nevada Cheese Company, LCC agreed to a recall of all its Graziers Raw Milk Cheeses on Sept. 24.
The recall includes the brand's medium cheddar, sharp cheddar, jalapeno jack, and Monterey jack. The cheeses were sold at retail in 8-ounce or 16-ounce packages as well as to food service customers or wholesalers in 5-pound loaves.
The FBA and the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating an outbreak of E. coli infections linked to the cheese. Of nine people interviewed who got ill, officials say all nine reported consuming the cheese in the week before.
According to the data, illnesses linked to the outbreak have been reported in Georgia, California, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Colorado, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Michigan. There have been eight hospitalizations in connection with the outbreak.
Officials say consumers and restaurants should not eat or serve the cheese. Anyone who purchased Graziers Raw Milk Cheeses should return it to their place of purchase for a refund.
Interest in and sales of raw milk have been rising in recent years, fueled by social media and growing support from the Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Make America Healthy Again movement. Raw milk has not been pasteurized, which kills germs like E. coli, salmonella, listeria and Campylobacter.
The federal government does not allow the sale of unpasteurized milk across state lines for human consumption. States have widely varying regulations regarding raw milk, with some allowing retail sales in stores and others allowing sale only at farms. Some states allow so-called cowshares, where people pay for milk from designated animals, and some allow consumption only by farm owners, employees or "non-paying guests."
