Two people are dead and another six people have fallen ill after an outbreak of disease stemming from the consumption of raw milk cheese, leading to debate over whether the substance should be banned altogether, according to reports. Authorities have linked the deaths and illnesses to listeria originating in cheese made from raw milk, meaning it hasn’t been pasteurized to remove such diseases.

Raw cheese advocates continue to stand behind their decision, arguing the benefits of unpasteurized milk outweigh the risk of disease. The infections are believed to have been caused by consuming soft raw milk cheese from Vulto Creamery in Walton, N.Y., according to a Buzzfeed report. The cheese has since been recalled, with most being sold in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states.

Listeria is a type of food poisoning that comes from eating foods contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that is often found in raw unpasteurized milk, which is why the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends consumers avoid raw milk products.