Recalls & Safety · Notice
Sierra Nevada Cheese recalls all Graziers raw milk cheese
The California cheesemaker recalled every Graziers raw milk cheese on the market for possible E. coli O26:H11, with no lot or date code narrowed down yet.
Sierra Nevada Cheese Company of Willows, California, has recalled every Graziers Raw Milk Cheese product currently on the market because of possible contamination with E. coli O26:H11. The company announcement is dated September 28, 2026, and the FDA posted it September 29.
What is recalled
The recall covers four Graziers Raw Milk Cheese varieties, all sold in 8 oz squares: Monterey Jack (UPC 6-87652-16400-9), Jalapeño Jack (UPC 6-87652-16403-0), Medium Cheddar (UPC 6-87652-16506-8) and Sharp Cheddar. The company says its investigation has not narrowed the contamination to a specific lot, date code or production date, so it is recalling every unit of these products currently in distribution, sold nationwide through distributors, retailers and direct customers, rather than risk a contaminated lot staying on a shelf.
The hazard
E. coli O26:H11 is a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, a bacterial family that causes acute diarrheal illness, often with bloody stools, within a few days of exposure. Most healthy adults recover within about a week. The FDA and the company both flag a more serious risk for children under 5, older adults and anyone with a weakened immune system: a subset of infections in that group progress to hemolytic uremic syndrome, in which red blood cells break down, platelet counts fall and the kidneys can fail. HUS can be fatal.
Because Graziers cheeses are made from raw, unpasteurized milk, there is no pasteurization step to kill bacteria that may be present, which is part of why health authorities generally advise more caution with raw milk products for the same higher-risk groups.
What to do
Do not eat any of the four recalled Graziers cheeses, regardless of the package date, since no lot has been cleared. Throw the cheese away or return it for a refund, and clean any surface or container it touched. If a young child, an older adult or someone immunocompromised in your household ate it and develops diarrhea, especially bloody diarrhea, in the days that follow, contact a healthcare provider promptly. The company's announcement does not report illnesses associated with the recall as of this writing. This recall is tracked on the live recall index and the food recalls tracker alongside the week's other FDA notices.
What to do
- Do not eat any Graziers Raw Milk Monterey Jack, Jalapeño Jack, Medium Cheddar or Sharp Cheddar cheese, whatever the package date; the company has not narrowed the recall to a specific lot. fda.gov
- Throw the cheese away or return it to the place of purchase; clean and sanitize any surface, cutting board or container it touched.
- Watch for diarrhea, often bloody, in the days after eating it. Seek care right away for a young child, an older adult or anyone immunocompromised who develops these symptoms, since a small share of E. coli O26 infections progress to hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can be fatal.
Questions readers ask
- Why is the whole product line recalled instead of one lot?
- The company says its investigation has not narrowed the contamination to a specific lot, date code or production date. Out of caution, it is recalling everything in distribution rather than risk leaving a contaminated lot on shelves.
- What is E. coli O26:H11 and why is it dangerous?
- It is a Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), a bacterial family that can cause acute diarrheal illness, often bloody, within days of exposure. Most people recover within a week, but children under 5, older adults and people with weakened immune systems face a real risk of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which involves red blood cell breakdown, a drop in platelets and kidney failure, and can be fatal.
- Is raw milk cheese itself the problem?
- Raw milk cheeses are not pasteurized, which is the step that would normally kill bacteria like STEC if present in the milk. That is why any contamination in a raw milk product carries more risk than the same contamination would in a pasteurized one, and why health authorities advise caution with raw milk products for young children, older adults and people who are pregnant or immunocompromised.
Filed under: Live recall index: FDA, CPSC, NHTSA, FSIS, Food recalls: current Class I notices
Mentioned:Food and Drug Administration
How we reported this
Built from 1 primary document linked in the Source Card. Every number was copied from the document, not from another outlet.
Written by Mirza Seraj Baig · Checked against the documents in the source card (editorial standards).