Karmactive Staff
Which Family Farmstead cheddar cheese is recalled for E. coli? Family Farmstead Dairy, LLC, of Worcester, New York, has recalled its Raw Mild Cheddar Cheese, sold in 8-ounce clear plastic blocks with green, red, and white labels. Some packages are labeled Family Farmstead A2 Raw Cheddar. The recalled cheese carries both a lot code and a best-by date of 7/22/27, printed on the package, and consumers should check for that date before deciding whether a package is affected.
Routine food-safety sampling by a Maryland laboratory found two strains of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, identified as E. coli O26:H11 and O45:H2, in samples of the cheese. The laboratory results identified two distinct strains rather than one. The recalled product was distributed to retailers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. No illnesses have been reported in connection with this recall. Because the cheese is sold raw and unpasteurized, it falls into a product category the FDA monitors closely for bacteria such as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli and Listeria.
Shiga toxin-producing E. coli can cause diarrhea, which is sometimes bloody, along with abdominal cramps and vomiting, usually beginning within a few days of exposure. Most healthy adults recover within a week without medical treatment. In some cases, particularly among young children and older adults, the infection can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious complication affecting the kidneys that requires prompt medical care. Anyone who has eaten the recalled cheese and develops these symptoms should contact a healthcare provider promptly rather than waiting to see if symptoms pass on their own.
Consumers who have purchased cheese matching this description should not eat it, even if it looks, smells, and tastes normal, since these bacteria cannot be detected by sight or smell. Family Farmstead Dairy is asking that affected cheese be discarded or returned to the place of purchase. Questions about the recall, including how refunds are being handled, can be directed to the company at 607-397-7178, the only contact number included in the recall notice.
Only cheese marked with the 7/22/27 lot code and best-by date is included in this recall. Shoppers who bought Family Farmstead raw cheddar with a different date printed on the package are not affected, but anyone uncertain about a package’s markings should check it directly against the lot code and best-by date listed above before deciding whether to keep or discard the product.
