E. coli infected two Minnesotans and following this the Washington company that made the cheese was forced to order a recall of its cheese products.

An outbreak that led to a nationwide recall Friday of artisanal cheese made from raw milk might have been linked to the two Minnesota E. coli cases.

The U. S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday that after eight people were sickened with the same strain of E. coli, Sally Jackson Cheese of Oroville, Washington, has agreed to a voluntary recall of its cheeses.

Health regulators in Washington and Oregon informed the FDA of the outbreak earlier this month.

The FDA added that consuming Sally Jackson cheese was reported by one consumer and four others may have consumed the company's cheese.

Doug Schultz, a spokesman for the state Department of Health said that in Late September and early November, in the Twin Cities, after eating artisanal cheese two people were sickened with E. coli.

E. coli strains that genetically matched those in the Oregon and Washington outbreak were also seen in the victims, one of whom was hospitalized for a day.

He said that it could not be pinpointed by the investigators that which brand of cheese they ate. The FDA states that all Sally Jackson cheese on the market should be avoided.