If you read about the raw cheddar recall earlier this week and thought it didn’t affect you because you don’t live in New York or New Jersey, read it again. Family Farmstead Dairy has corrected its recall notice: the cheese went to grocers in seven states, and the bacteria involved are not the strain first reported.
The company, based in Worcester, New York, issued the update to its 15 October announcement specifically to correct two things — the distribution pattern and the E. coli serotype. Many of the first reports are still circulating with the original details.
Is my cheese part of the recall?
| Brand | Family Farmstead Dairy |
| Product | Raw Mild Cheddar Cheese (also described as Family Farmstead A2 Raw Cheddar) |
| Size | 8 oz package |
| Lot code / best-by | 7/22/27 |
| Sold in | New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts |
| Other products | None — no other Family Farmstead Dairy products are included |
The company also says the cheese may have reached other states through downstream distributors. If you bought this brand outside those seven states, check the lot code rather than assuming you are in the clear.
What changed in the corrected notice
- Distribution: early coverage said the cheese went to New York and New Jersey. The corrected notice adds Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia and Massachusetts.
- Bacteria: early coverage named E. coli O157:H7. The corrected notice names E. coli O26:H11 and O45:H2.
The problem was found when a sample tested in Maryland turned up two strains of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) in two packages from lot 7/22/27.
Why a different strain name does not mean less risk. O157:H7 is the E. coli most people have heard of, but O26 and O45 are among the so-called “Big Six” non-O157 STEC strains that US food-safety regulators treat as serious hazards. They produce the same Shiga toxins, and the company’s own notice warns of the same complications, including kidney failure.
What to do if you have it
- Don’t eat it — not even a small piece to check.
- Throw it away in a sealed bag, or return it to the store for a full refund.
- Clean anything it touched — the cheese drawer, cutting boards, knives.
- Questions go to the company at (607) 397-4044 (Monday–Friday, 8:30am–5pm Eastern) or customerservice@familyfarmsteaddairy.com.
Symptoms to watch for
According to the company’s notice, these strains cause a diarrheal illness, often with bloody stools. Most healthy adults recover within about a week.
Some people go on to develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a form of kidney failure that is most likely in young children and older adults and can be fatal. Anyone who ate this cheese and develops bloody diarrhea, or a child who becomes unusually tired, pale or stops urinating normally after a stomach illness, should see a doctor and mention the possible E. coli exposure.
Has anyone been sick?
No illnesses have been reported as of the company’s update. The recall was triggered by a lab finding, not by an outbreak — which is the system working as intended, and the best moment to get the product out of kitchens.
Details are taken from Family Farmstead Dairy’s recall notice as published by the US Food and Drug Administration on 15 October 2026 and subsequently updated to correct the distribution states and the E. coli serotype. This article is information, not medical advice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Which cheese is being recalled?
Family Farmstead Dairy Raw Mild Cheddar Cheese in 8 oz packages, lot code and best-by date 7/22/27. No other Family Farmstead Dairy products are included.
Which states is the cheddar recall in?
The corrected notice lists New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia and Massachusetts, and says the cheese may have reached other states through distributors.
Is it E. coli O157:H7?
No. The corrected notice names Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O26:H11 and O45:H2. Early reports named O157:H7 before the company corrected the serotype.
Has anyone gotten sick?
No illnesses had been reported as of the company’s update.
What should I do with the cheese?
Don’t eat it. Throw it away or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund, and clean surfaces it touched.
Who do I contact?
Family Farmstead Dairy at (607) 397-4044, Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm Eastern, or customerservice@familyfarmsteaddairy.com.
