The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its highest-risk warning for recalled Graziers raw milk cheese products on Monday, amid concerns over a multi-state E. coli outbreak that has sickened 13 people and hospitalized eight.
The Class I classification, issued on Monday, applied to all affected Graziers raw milk cheese products manufactured by California-based Sierra Nevada Cheese Company, including Monterey Jack, jalapeño jack, medium cheddar and sharp cheddar varieties.
A Class I recall is the FDA's most serious category as it means there is a reasonable probability that using or being exposed to a recalled product could cause serious adverse health consequences or death.
The recall affects products sold in retail packaging and larger formats supplied to food-service customers and wholesalers.
Consumers were warned not to eat the cheeses, according to the recall information. The affected products were distributed in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin.
The voluntary recall was announced by the company on September 28.
The outbreak involves Escherichia coli O26, a strain of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli that can cause severe illness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 13 people across nine states had been infected as of September 25.
Eight had been hospitalized and three had developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a potentially life-threatening complication that can cause kidney failure, but no deaths had been reported. More than half of those infected were children aged 5 or younger.
The CDC said all nine people interviewed about their food consumption before becoming ill reported eating Graziers raw milk cheese, while genetic analysis also showed that bacteria collected from infected people were closely related, suggesting the illness came from the same source.
Newsweek has approached the Sierra Nevada Cheese Company for comment via email.
The recall comes amid a wider series of foodborne illness investigations this year involving pathogens including Cyclospora, Salmonella and Listeria.
Cyclospora Outbreak Sickens Thousands
One of the largest foodborne illness events in the United States this year involved Cyclospora, a parasite that causes an intestinal infection known as cyclosporiasis.
In its most up-to-date records from September 15, the CDC said it had received reports of 19,883 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis acquired in the United States among people whose symptoms began between May 1 and August 31, 2026.
That compared with 1,180 cases reported over the same period in 2025.
The 2026 figures included 1,064 hospitalizations and two deaths, with cases reported in 49 states and the District of Columbia.
More than 12,000 cases were associated with a large multistate outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico and recalled by Taylor Farms de Mexico. The CDC declared that outbreak over on September 11, while the FDA concluded its investigation on October 2.
...
However, the total number of cyclosporiasis cases also included infections that had not been linked to that particular outbreak. Health officials said multiple jurisdictions had reported increases compared with the previous year.
Cyclospora can cause prolonged watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, stomach cramps, nausea and fatigue, and people typically become infected by consuming food or water contaminated with the parasite.
Salmonella Outbreaks Prompt Further Recalls
Salmonella has also featured prominently in food safety investigations this year, with outbreaks linked to products including jalapeño peppers and raw oysters.
In an investigation declared over on October 2, the CDC reported 488 illnesses across 34 states linked to imported jalapeño peppers from Sinaloa, Mexico, distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors.
As a result, 65 people were hospitalized among the 434 for whom hospitalization information was available, and no deaths were reported.
Investigators said epidemiological and traceback evidence indicated that the peppers may have been contaminated with Salmonella Javiana.
Salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Most people recover without specific treatment, but infections can be more serious in young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.
The CDC has also investigated other Salmonella outbreaks involving foods such as shell eggs and sprouts, highlighting the range of products that can become contaminated.
Listeria Concerns Extend To Cheese
Listeria has also prompted significant food safety action this year, including an outbreak linked to soft cheese supplied by Clover Hill Dairy in Maryland.
In its final update on August 26, the CDC reported 15 illnesses across four states linked to Listeria in requesón, a soft cheese similar to ricotta. Fourteen people were hospitalized and one death was reported.
The illnesses dated back to March 2023, with the most recent reported onset in July 2026. The outbreak therefore spanned several years rather than representing a sudden cluster of infections occurring entirely this year.
Investigators detected Listeria in samples of requesón cheese and an environmental sample before genetic analysis showed that bacteria found in the cheese were closely related to those detected in infected people.
The CDC declared the investigation over, saying recalled products were no longer available for sale.
...
Listeria infection can cause fever, muscle aches, gastrointestinal symptoms, and lead to serious complications, particularly among pregnant women, newborns, adults aged 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems.
The outbreak adds to concerns about contamination in dairy products, although the risks differ between pathogens and products. The Sierra Nevada recall, for example, concerns potential E. coli contamination in raw milk cheese, while the Clover Hill investigation involved Listeria in soft cheese.
Americans' Confidence In Food Safety Falls
Americans reported declining confidence in the safety of food sold in grocery stores and in the federal government's ability to protect the food supply.
A Gallup survey published October 8 found that 65 percent of U.S. adults were very or somewhat confident that food sold at most grocery stores was safe to eat, marking the lowest level recorded by the pollster.
And that was down from 73 percent in 2025 and 81 percent in 2019.
Confidence in the federal government's ability to ensure food safety was lower still.
Some 47 percent of Americans said they had a great deal or a fair amount of confidence in the government to ensure the safety of the U.S. food supply, down from 53 percent in 2025 and 68 percent in 2019.
The survey also found that 73 percent of Americans had avoided certain foods following a recall or government food safety advisory, compared with 53 percent in 2024.
The survey was conducted between September 1 and 17 among 1,000 adults. The margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points.