Family Farmstead Dairy of Worcester, New York, has recalled its 8-ounce Raw Mild Cheddar Cheese after a sample tested in Maryland found two strains of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli in two packages from the same lot. The cheese went to grocers in New York and New Jersey, and no illnesses had been reported when the recall was announced on October 15, 2026.
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Only one lot is affected, and the company says no other Family Farmstead Dairy products are included. For shoppers in the two states, the useful question is whether a clear plastic package with a green, red and white label is sitting in the refrigerator. The recall is a company-initiated notice rather than a government order, which is how most food recalls begin, and the lot is small enough to be named by a single date code. Anyone unsure what they bought can use that code, since the manufacturer says nothing outside it is affected.
The recalled lot and the test result
The recall notice posted by the Food and Drug Administration identifies the product as Family Farmstead Raw Mild Cheddar Cheese in 8-ounce packages, lot code 7/22/27, with a best-by date of 7/22/27. The announcement does not list a UPC, so the lot code and the packaging are the only identifiers shoppers have to work with.
The reason for the recall is possible contamination with E. coli O157:H7, a Shiga toxin-producing strain. The notice says the cheese may be contaminated, based on the Maryland sample, which found two STEC strains in two packages of the affected lot. The FDA notes that it posts company recall announcements as a public service and does not endorse the product or company. The company said it is working to identify the cause and take corrective action, and apologized for the inconvenience. In its statement, Family Farmstead said product quality is “an utmost priority here at Family Farmstead.”
What E. coli O157:H7 does to the body
E. coli O157:H7 causes diarrhea that is often bloody. According to the recall notice, most healthy adults recover within a week, but the infection can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome, a kidney condition that is most dangerous for young children and older adults and can lead to lasting kidney damage or death.
The CDC’s page on E. coli signs and symptoms describes diarrhea that can be bloody or watery, stomach cramps that can be severe, and sometimes vomiting or a low fever. It advises calling a doctor for diarrhea or vomiting that lasts more than two days, bloody stool or urine, a fever above 102 degrees Fahrenheit, or signs of dehydration. Signs of hemolytic uremic syndrome, which the CDC calls a medical emergency, include little or no urination, unexplained bruising or tiny red spots, unusual tiredness and decreased alertness. CDC’s overview of how E. coli infections happen says people get infected by swallowing the bacteria, commonly through contaminated food or water. It names children younger than five, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems as the groups at increased risk.
Why raw milk cheese carries a different risk
Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized, a heating step that kills disease-causing germs. The CDC’s raw milk page says good farm practices can reduce contamination but cannot guarantee safety, and it lists E. coli alongside Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, Listeria, Brucella and Salmonella as germs that raw milk can carry. Children under five, adults over 65, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are named as the higher-risk groups, and severe cases can involve hemolytic uremic syndrome or Guillain-Barre syndrome. That page does not say anything specific about raw milk cheese, and it would be wrong to infer how this particular contamination happened. The recall notice does not say whether the source was the milk, the farm environment or the cheesemaking process, and the company has said only that it is working to find the cause.
What shoppers should do with the cheese
The notice tells consumers not to eat the recalled cheese. It can be thrown away or returned to the store for a full refund. Because no illnesses had been reported at the time of the announcement, the recall is a precaution driven by the laboratory result rather than by sick customers. Questions go to Family Farmstead Dairy at (607) 397-4044 or [email protected], between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Eastern, Monday through Friday.
The CDC’s general E. coli prevention advice adds that people should drink pasteurized milk and juice, and look for the word pasteurized on labels, because pasteurization kills harmful germs. It also recommends washing hands often and practicing basic food safety, which means cleaning, separating, cooking and chilling food. CDC says these steps matter most for children under five, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems, who are the same groups the recall notice singles out as most vulnerable to the kidney complication. Shoppers who bought the cheese from a New York or New Jersey grocer should check the lot code on the package before deciding whether to keep it.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by Morning Overview editors prior to publication.
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