California Cheesemaker Recalls All Its Raw Milk Cheese After 13 E. coli Illnesses

The Sierra Nevada Graziers recall covers jacks and cheddars shipped nationwide. There are no lot codes, so check the UPC instead.

A California cheesemaker is pulling all of its Graziers raw milk cheese after 13 illnesses were linked to its medium cheddar, the company said.

Sierra Nevada Cheese Company, based in Willows, Calif., said the cheese may be contaminated with E. coli O26:H11. The company announced the recall on Sept. 28, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration posted the notice a day later. Health.com and WGAL were among the first outlets to report it.

The 13 illnesses are tied to one product, Graziers Raw Milk Medium Cheddar, according to the notice. The company didn't stop at the cheddar. It's recalling every Graziers raw milk cheese still in distribution, and it says it has halted production and shipping of the whole line.

That matters if you're building a cheese plate this weekend, because the usual way to check a recall doesn't work here. There's no lot number or sell-by date to match. The company wrote that the investigation "has not been narrowed to a specific lot, date code, or production date."

Every package counts.

The cheese went out "nationwide through distributors, retailers, and direct customers," the notice says. It doesn't name a single state or store. So there's no list of Los Angeles markets to check against, and nothing in the notice rules your neighborhood shop out either.

Look for the Sierra Nevada Graziers name on the label. Then match the UPC against these five retail packages.

• 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.

The recall also reaches bigger formats, sold by item number. Those are 5-pound loaves of Monterey Jack (item 6425), Jalapeño Jack (6426), Medium Cheddar (6510) and Sharp Cheddar (6511). It also covers 40-pound cheddar blocks, items 6515 and 6516. Nobody keeps a 40-pound block in a home fridge, but somebody slices it.

If you buy cheese cut to order at a deli counter and you aren't sure what brand it is, ask before you eat it. The counter has the label even when your wrapper doesn't.

If you find a recalled package, the company says not to eat it or serve it. Take it back to the store for a refund, or throw it away.

Questions go to Sierra Nevada Cheese Company at (530) 934-8662, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific, or by email at recallinfo@sierranevadacheese.com.