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Sierra Nevada Cheese Company, the California dairy food producer, confirmed on September 28 that it would withdraw all Graziers cheeses made with raw milk from the market amid the possibility that they are contaminated with the bacterium Escherichia coli O26.
So far, no specific batch, code, or production date has been determined, so the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed the recall of all the products included in the list in its statement.
What causes the harmful toxin-producing bacterium?
E. coli O26 produces Shiga toxin, which can cause symptoms between 2 and 8 days after ingestion. It usually causes diarrhea, sometimes with bleeding, abdominal cramps, and in some patients, also fever and vomiting.
If the condition worsens, it can cause kidney failure known as Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), which usually mainly affects young children and older adults. This disease is characterized by hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and kidney failure. In addition, it can be fatal.
So far, 13 poisoning cases have been identified, and the FDA, together with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is already investigating a possible multistate outbreak.
What products were recalled?
According to the FDA statement, the following products were recalled:
- Graziers Raw Milk Monterey Jack
- Paquete: cuadrado de 8 oz
- UPC: 6-87652-16400-9
- Graziers Raw Milk Jalapeño Jack
- Paquete: cuadrado de 8 oz
- UPC: 6-87652-16403-0
- Graziers Raw Milk Medium Cheddar
- Paquete: cuadrado de 8 oz
- UPC: 6-87652-16506-8
- Graziers Raw Milk Sharp Cheddar
- Paquete: cuadrado de 8 oz
- UPC: 6-87652-16507-5
- Graziers Raw Milk Medium Cheddar
- Paquete: ladrillo de 16 oz
- UPC: 6-87652-16501-3
- Graziers Raw Milk Monterey Jack Loaves
- Paquete: pan de 5 libras
- Artículo: 6425
- Graziers Raw Milk Jalapeño Jack Loaves
- Paquete: pan de 5 libras
- Artículo: 6426
- Graziers Raw Milk Medium Cheddar
- Paquete: pan de 5 libras
- Artículo: 6510
- Graziers Raw Milk Sharp Cheddar
- Paquete: pan de 5 libras
- Artículo: 6511
- Graziers Raw Milk Cheddar Block
- Paquete: bloque de 40 libras
- Artículos: 6515 y 6516
Why was production halted?
According to what the FDA reported, the company halted production of these products in part because the source of contamination has not yet been identified.
When could they return to the market?
Because the batch, code, production date, and source of contamination have still not been determined, it is not yet known when these products could return to the market.
Recommendation for consumers: What should you do if you have any of these products in your home?
The FDA recommends that consumers who have purchased any of the Graziers raw milk cheeses included in the recall not consume or serve them. Instead, they should return them to the place of purchase for a refund or discard them.
Likewise, those with questions can contact Sierra Nevada Cheese Company through its main customer service channels.