Public Comment Sought on Draft FDA Petition for Raw Milk Cheese Warning Label
Food safety attorney Bill Marler is seeking public input on a draft petition to the FDA proposing a warning label on cheese made from raw milk. Comments are due by October 9.
A draft citizen petition requesting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandate a warning statement on cheese produced from unpasteurized milk is now open for public comment. The petition, filed by food safety attorney Bill Marler of Marler Clark, Inc., PS, aims to alert consumers to potential risks associated with raw milk cheese.
The 22-page draft petition, which includes extensive citations to public sources, is available on Marler Blog. Marler is actively soliciting feedback from cheesemakers, retailers, public health officials, physicians, and consumers. He intends to revise the petition based on the comments received before formally submitting it to the FDA in October.
This initiative follows a recent multistate outbreak of E. coli O26 infections linked to Graziers raw milk cheese. The outbreak sickened 13 people across nine states, with many of the affected individuals being young children. Several cases resulted in hospitalization and the development of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a severe form of kidney failure.
Marler Clark is representing a child who developed HUS after consuming the implicated cheese. The petition cites FDA's own records and research, including studies indicating that the standard 60-day aging period for raw milk cheese may not always eliminate pathogens, potentially posing a public health risk. The firm has previously represented clients in cases involving raw milk cheese outbreaks.