Federal regulators announced Sunday that at least seven people in three states have been sickened in an E. coli outbreak traced to a raw cheddar cheese product.

Many of the affected individuals are children under the age of 3, with five cases reported in California, one in Florida, and one in Texas, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, are investigating a multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections,” the agency said. “As of March 14, 2026, a total of seven confirmed infections have been reported from three states.”

Investigators have linked the outbreak to RAW FARM, a family-owned California dairy and the nation’s largest producer of raw dairy products. The FDA issued a warning advising consumers to exercise caution with RAW FARM’s raw cheddar cheese product, though the company has declined to issue a voluntary recall.

RAW FARM responded Monday on social media, calling the federal allegations “false” and “extreme harassment towards our brand.” The company stated, “All of our products have been CONFIRMED to be negative for all harmful bacteria, including E. coli O157:H7. FDA has found NO RAW FARM products to be tested positive for E. coli in the marketplace.”

Despite the company’s denials, the FDA said epidemiological evidence indicates RAW FARM-brand cheddar cheese is the likely source of the outbreak. Investigators collected information from three affected individuals, all of whom reported consuming the cheese, and state partners are gathering additional data for the remaining cases.

At least two patients have been hospitalized, though no deaths have been reported. Federal health officials warned that the E. coli strain involved can cause severe symptoms, including kidney failure, stomach cramps, fever, nausea, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea, typically appearing within a few to nine days after consumption.

The FDA is urging consumers and retailers to sanitize surfaces to prevent cross-contamination and to monitor for symptoms in anyone who may have eaten the cheese.