Costco: Cheese sold in 5 states linked to E. coli

By The AP
Friday, November 5, 2010

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — A cheese sold recently at Costco Wholesale Corp. outlets in five states has been preliminarily linked to an E. coli outbreak that has sickened 25 people, Costco and federal health officials warned consumers Thursday.

The Bravo Farms Dutch Style Raw Milk Gouda Cheese was offered for sale and for in-store tasting between Oct. 5 and Nov. 1 at Costco stores in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and the San Diego, Calif., area.

The Issaquah-Wash.-based company said the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 25 cases of people sickened by E. coli O157:H7 in those states during that time.

In its own statement, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said the illnesses include 11 in Arizona, eight in Colorado, three in New Mexico, two in Nevada and one in California.