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Family Farmstead Dairy recalled its raw mild cheddar cheese with lot code and best-by date 7/22/27 because of potential contamination with E. coli O26:H11 and O45:H2. The company says no illnesses have been reported; consumers should not eat the affected product and can discard it or return it for a full refund.
Family Farmstead Dairy is recalling a specific lot of its raw mild cheddar cheese because it may be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O26:H11 and O45:H2, according to a company announcement posted by the FDA on October 15, 2026. Consumers who have the affected cheese should not eat it; the company says it can be discarded or returned to the place of purchase for a full refund.
The recalled product is labeled Family Farmstead Dairy Raw Mild Cheddar Cheese. Its lot code is 7/22/27, which is also the best-by date printed in the company’s notice. The company says no other Family Farmstead Dairy products are included in the recall.
The company announcement says the product was supplied to grocers in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia and Massachusetts. It adds that the cheese may have reached other states through downstream distributors, so the full distribution footprint is not established in the notice.
According to the announcement, the issue was identified after a sample collected by LFFM in Maryland isolated two strains of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli in two samples of Family Farmstead A2 Raw Cheddar in an 8-ounce package bearing the same 7/22/27 date. The notice identifies the recalled item as raw mild cheddar; it does not explain the relationship between the sample description and that product listing. The company reports that no illnesses or allergic reactions associated with the recall had been reported as of the announcement.
The Risk From Contaminated Raw Cheese
E. coli that produces Shiga toxin can cause diarrheal illness, and the company notice says illness can include bloody stools. While many healthy adults recover, the announcement warns that some people can develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a form of kidney failure. It says young children and older adults are more likely to develop HUS, which can cause serious kidney damage and may be fatal.
The recall matters to anyone who may have bought the cheese in the named states or through a retailer supplied by a downstream distributor. Because the product is a raw-milk cheese and the notice does not establish every location where it was sold, checking the brand, product name and date is more useful than relying only on the state list. The company’s instruction is clear: do not consume the affected lot.
The reported absence of illnesses is a status update, not a finding that the cheese is safe. The potential contamination prompted the recall, and the announcement does not say that every package in the lot was tested or contaminated. Consumers should follow the recall instructions rather than use the absence of reported cases as a reason to eat the product.
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How Testing Led to the Recall
The FDA page identifies this as a company announcement posted as a public service. It says the agency does not endorse the company or product. The company’s October 15 notice describes itself as an update to a press release issued earlier that day, made to correct the distribution pattern and E. coli serotype information.
The company says the recall followed laboratory findings in samples collected in Maryland. The finding named two strains, E. coli O26:H11 and O45:H2, and the company says it is working to identify the cause and take corrective actions. The announcement does not provide further details about the sampling process, the number of retail packages affected or the specific corrective measures underway.
Family Farmstead Dairy is based in Worcester, New York. Its notice provides a customer contact number, (607) 397-4044, and an email address, customerservice@familyfarmsteaddairy.com. The listed phone hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
“We sincerely apologize to our customers, retail partners, and consumers for the inconvenience caused by this recall.”
— Family Farmstead Dairy, in its recall announcement
Distribution and Investigation Details
The notice does not give a total number of packages or units affected, a complete list of stores, or the full downstream distribution area. It names seven states where grocers received the product but cautions that it may have been distributed elsewhere. Consumers outside those states who find the matching product should also follow the recall instructions.
It is not clear from the announcement whether any additional testing has been completed, how the two positive samples relate to the recalled product’s lot, or what caused the contamination. The company says it has received no illness reports to date, but provides no further information about whether public health agencies are investigating possible exposures. The FDA’s posting of the company announcement is not an independent endorsement of the product or a separate confirmation of every statement in it.
Check Packages and Contact the Dairy
Consumers should check the package for the Family Farmstead Dairy Raw Mild Cheddar Cheese name and the lot code or best-by date 7/22/27. Do not eat cheese matching the recall description. The company says consumers may discard it or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.
People with questions can contact Family Farmstead Dairy at (607) 397-4044 or customerservice@familyfarmsteaddairy.com during the hours listed in its notice. The company says it is working to identify the cause and take corrective actions. The announcement does not give a timeline for the investigation, further test results or any expansion of the recall; those details may emerge in later company or agency updates.
Key Questions
Which cheese is included in the recall?
The notice identifies Family Farmstead Dairy Raw Mild Cheddar Cheese with lot code and best-by date 7/22/27. The company says no other Family Farmstead Dairy products are included.
What should I do if I bought the recalled cheese?
Do not eat it. The company says to discard the cheese or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Contact the dairy with questions at (607) 397-4044 or customerservice@familyfarmsteaddairy.com.
Where was the cheese distributed?
The company says it supplied grocers in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia and Massachusetts. It warns that downstream distributors may have sent the product to other states.
Have any illnesses been reported?
The company said no illnesses or allergic reactions had been reported as of its October 15, 2026 announcement. That status does not change the advice not to consume the recalled lot.
Why is E. coli O26:H11 and O45:H2 a concern?
The company says these Shiga toxin-producing E. coli strains can cause diarrheal illness, sometimes with bloody stools. It warns that some people can develop hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious kidney condition, with young children and older adults at greater risk.
Source: primary
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