Sierra Nevada Graziers Raw Milk Cheese Recalled After Link to E. Coli Outbreak
The cheese was sold nationally and has a long shelf life, so check your fridge
Sierra Nevada Cheese Company issued a nationwide recall of all its Graziers Raw Milk Cheese products—Monterey Jack, jalapeño jack, medium cheddar, and sharp cheddar—after the Food and Drug Administration notified the company that its medium cheddar had been linked to a multistate E. coli outbreak.
Thirteen people in California, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee, and Utah have been sickened, and eight of them have been hospitalized.
| Product | Size | UPC/Item |
| Graziers Raw Milk Monterey Jack | 8-ounce square | UPC 6-87652-16400-9 |
| Graziers Raw Milk Jalapeño Jack | 8-ounce square | UPC 6-87652-16403-0 |
| Graziers Raw Milk Medium Cheddar | 8-ounce square | UPC 6-87652-16506-8 |
| Graziers Raw Milk Sharp Cheddar | 8-ounce square | UPC 6-87652-16507-5 |
| Graziers Raw Milk Medium Cheddar | 16-ounce brick | UPC 6-87652-16501-3 |
| Graziers Raw Milk Monterey Jack loaves | 5-pound loaf | Item 6425 |
| Graziers Raw Milk Jalapeño Jack loaves | 5-pound loaf | Item 6426 |
| Graziers Raw Milk Medium Cheddar | 5-pound loaf | Item 6510 |
| Graziers Raw Milk Sharp Cheddar | 5-pound loaf | Item 6511 |
| Graziers Raw Milk Cheddar block | 40-pound block | Item 6515; 6516 |
CR asked Sierra Nevada Cheese Company about how the raw cheese may have become contaminated. The company did not respond to CR’s questions in time for publication.
The Risk of Raw Dairy Products
Federal agencies and CR have long warned about the risks of consuming raw dairy products, especially raw milk, which can harbor dangerous bacteria, including listeria, cyclospora, and E. coli. However, the 60-day aging process used with certain cheeses has been thought to kill most bacteria.
In the last two and a half years, however, the U.S. has seen three other outbreaks related to raw cheese and raw milk: Raw Farms raw cheddar cheese in February 2024, Twin Sisters Creamery cheese in October 2025, and Raw Farms raw milk and cheddar in March 2026.
Because of such risks, James E. Rogers, PhD, director of product and food safety research and testing at CR, says most people should avoid raw milk and raw cheese, especially if you fall into one of the high-risk categories. “The aging process for raw cheese should eliminate most pathogens, but even the best studies show some can still remain,” Rogers says. “That’s why it’s especially important not to let very young children consume raw milk products, including cheese.”
Seek immediate medical care if you or a loved one experiences a fever higher than 102° F, diarrhea for more than two days that is not improving, or bloody diarrhea, or if you cannot keep liquids down or have signs of dehydration (not peeing much or very often, dry mouth, and feeling dizzy when standing up).
Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Sierra Nevada Cheese Company at 530-934-8662 between 11:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.
