A small Otsego County dairy is pulling raw mild cheddar cheese off shelves in seven states after state health testers in Maryland found two strains of dangerous E. coli bacteria lurking in the product. Family Farmstead Dairy, based in Worcester, New York, says no illnesses or allergic reactions have been reported so far, but the discovery triggered a recall that stretches from New York to Virginia.
According to the New York Post, the dairy recalled one lot of its Raw Mild Cheddar Cheese, carrying a best-by date of July 22, 2027, after distributing the batch to stores in seven states: New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia and Massachusetts. The company warned the cheese may have reached additional states through downstream distributors. Family Farmstead Dairy distributes products nationally, including to Whole Foods Market and FreshDirect, per the company's own website, though no other Family Farmstead products were affected by this recall.
The trigger was a Maryland state sample that isolated two strains of toxin-producing E. coli in two 8-ounce packages of the cheese, according to the FDA. The federal recall notice identifies the strains as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O26:H11 and O45:H2, found alongside screening for the better-known O157:H7 strain. The recalled cheese comes packaged in clear 8-ounce plastic containers with green, red and white labeling featuring farm and cow graphics, and customers with questions can reach the company at 607-397-4044 or [email protected].
A Niche Upstate Producer With a National Footprint
Family Farmstead Dairy specializes in 100% grass-fed, A2 beta-casein organic milk and cheese from pasture-raised cows, a niche that has drawn attention for marketing its products as easier to digest than conventional A1 dairy, per a vendor profile from River Valley Co-op. The Worcester operation apologized for the inconvenience caused by the recall and said it is committed to identifying the cause and taking corrective action to ensure product safety and quality, the Post reported.
E. coli infection can cause diarrhea, often with bloody stools, and most healthy adults recover within a week, per the Post's reporting. But the bacteria can also trigger hemolytic uremic syndrome, a form of kidney failure that can lead to severe kidney damage and possibly death, with young children and elderly people most at risk.
How Raw Cheese Legally Crosses State Lines
Raw milk cheese can travel across state borders in ways raw fluid milk cannot. Federal rules under 21 CFR 1240.61 and 21 CFR Part 133 ban interstate sales of raw fluid milk entirely, but they carve out an exception for unpasteurized cheese aged at least 60 days at temperatures no lower than 35°F, according to the eCFR. That aging standard is the only reason a Worcester cheesemaker's raw cheddar can legally land on shelves as far away as Virginia and Massachusetts.
State law adds another layer of complexity.
Part of a Pattern in 2026's Raw Cheese Recalls
This is not the first time this year that commercial raw cheddar has drawn federal scrutiny. In September, Hoodline reported that California-based Sierra Nevada Cheese Company recalled Graziers raw milk cheeses after an E. coli O26:H11 outbreak sickened 13 people across nine states, hospitalized eight, and caused kidney failure in three children, according to the CDC. Months earlier, Fresno-based Raw Farm, LLC voluntarily recalled its raw cheddar after an E. coli outbreak sickened nine people across three states and led to three hospitalizations, per the CDC's investigation into that separate incident.
The repeated incidents have drawn the attention of food safety attorney William Marler, who has drafted a citizen petition seeking warning labels and a safety reevaluation for unpasteurized raw milk cheeses. Marler's draft petition, discussed on the Marler Blog, calls for warning labels on unpasteurized raw milk cheeses.
Recent raw-cheese recalls have included E. coli outbreaks. For now, Family Farmstead Dairy's recall remains limited to the single lot of raw mild cheddar, and the company says it has received no reports of illness connected to the product.
