Major foodborne outbreaks: what made people ill, and what happened next
32 outbreaks, with the pathogen, the food, the case counts and the official findings, from public health agencies' investigations.
E. coli (10)Listeria (9)Salmonella (8)Chemical contaminants (2)Botulism (1)Cronobacter (1)Hepatitis A (1)
Outbreaks
Infant botulism outbreak linked to ByHeart infant formula, United States, 2025Clostridium botulinum (toxin type A)ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula · United States · 2025 to 202648 cases, 0 deathsListeria outbreak linked to meats sliced at delis (Boar's Head), United States, 2024Listeria monocytogenesMeats sliced at delis, including ready-to-eat liverwurst and other deli meat products · United States · 202461 cases, 10 deathsE. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to onions served at McDonald's, United States, 2024Escherichia coli O157:H7Fresh slivered onions served on McDonald's Quarter Pounder burgers · United States · 2024104 cases, 1 deathSalmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupes from Mexico, United States and Canada, 2023Salmonella Sundsvall and Salmonella OranienburgWhole cantaloupes labelled Malichita or Rudy, Product of Mexico, and pre-cut products made from them · United States, Canada, Mexico · 2023407 cases, 6 deathsMulti-country monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak linked to chocolate products, Europe and North America, 2022Monophasic Salmonella TyphimuriumSpecific chocolate products manufactured at a processing plant in Arlon, Belgium · Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Canada, United States · 2021 to 2022324 cases, 0 deathsCronobacter infections and powdered infant formula from Abbott Nutrition, Sturgis, United States, 2022Cronobacter sakazakiiPowdered infant formula produced at the Abbott Nutrition facility in Sturgis, Michigan · United States · 2021 to 20224 cases, 2 deathsSalmonella Newport outbreak linked to onions, United States and Canada, 2020Salmonella NewportRed onions, and likely other onion types, from Thomson International Inc. · United States, Canada · 20201127 cases, 0 deathsListeriosis outbreak linked to chilled roasted pork, Spain, 2019Listeria monocytogenesChilled roasted pork meat product sold under the brand La Mechá · Spain · 2019222 cases, 3 deathsListeriosis outbreak linked to rockmelons, Australia, 2018Listeria monocytogenesRockmelons (cantaloupe) from a single grower · Australia · 201820 cases, 7 deathsE. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to romaine lettuce from California's Central Coast, United States, 2018Escherichia coli O157:H7Romaine lettuce from the Central Coastal growing regions of northern and central California · United States, Canada · 201862 cases, 0 deathsE. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to romaine lettuce from the Yuma growing region, United States, 2018Escherichia coli O157:H7Romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona growing region · United States, Canada · 2018210 cases, 5 deathsListeriosis outbreak linked to polony, South Africa, 2017 to 2018Listeria monocytogenes sequence type 6Polony, a ready-to-eat processed meat product · South Africa · 2017 to 20181024 cases, 200 deathsSalmonella Agona outbreak linked to infant formula, France, Spain and Greece, 2017Salmonella AgonaInfant formula from a single French processing company, including Picot and Milumel brands · France, Spain, Greece · 201739 cases, 0 deathsListeria outbreak linked to enoki mushrooms, United States, 2016 to 2020Listeria monocytogenesEnoki mushrooms labelled Product of Korea · United States, Republic of Korea · 2016 to 202036 cases, 4 deathsE. coli O26 outbreaks linked to Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants, United States, 2015Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O26 (two outbreak strains)Meals at Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants (no specific food or ingredient identified) · United States · 2015 to 201660 cases, 0 deathsSalmonella Poona outbreak linked to imported cucumbers, United States, 2015 to 2016Salmonella PoonaCucumbers imported from Mexico · United States, Mexico · 2015 to 2016907 cases, 6 deathsListeriosis outbreak linked to Blue Bell Creameries products, United States, 2015Listeria monocytogenesBlue Bell brand ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet and frozen snacks · United States · 201510 cases, 3 deathsListeria outbreak linked to prepackaged caramel apples, United States, 2014 to 2015Listeria monocytogenesCommercially produced, prepackaged caramel apples made from Bidart Bros. apples · United States, Canada · 2014 to 201535 cases, 7 deathsSalmonella Heidelberg outbreak linked to Foster Farms chicken, United States, 2013 to 2014Salmonella Heidelberg (multiple drug-resistant strains)Foster Farms brand chicken · United States · 2013 to 2014634 cases, 0 deathsHepatitis A outbreak linked to frozen berry blend with pomegranate seeds, United States, 2013Hepatitis A virus (genotype 1B)Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend frozen berries containing pomegranate seeds from Turkey · United States, Turkey · 2013165 cases, 0 deathsE. coli O157:H7 outbreak and beef recall linked to XL Foods Inc., Canada, 2012Escherichia coli O157:H7Beef products from XL Foods Inc. Establishment 38 · Canada · 201218 cases, ? deathsEHEC O104:H4 and haemolytic uraemic syndrome outbreak linked to sprouts, Germany, 2011Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli O104:H4Sprouts grown from imported fenugreek seeds from Egypt · Germany · 20113842 cases, 53 deathsListeriosis outbreak linked to whole cantaloupes from Jensen Farms, United States, 2011Listeria monocytogenes (five outbreak-associated subtypes)Whole Rocky Ford cantaloupes · United States · 2011147 cases, 33 deathsSalmonella Enteritidis outbreak linked to shell eggs, United States, 2010Salmonella EnteritidisShell eggs · United States · 20101939 cases, ? deathsSalmonella Typhimurium outbreak linked to Peanut Corporation of America products, United States, 2008 to 2009Salmonella TyphimuriumPeanut butter and peanut paste, including King Nut brand creamy peanut butter and products made with PCA peanut paste · United States, Canada · 2008 to 2009714 cases, 9 deathsListeriosis outbreak linked to ready-to-eat meats from a Maple Leaf plant, Canada, 2008Listeria monocytogenesReady-to-eat deli meats · Canada · 200856 cases, 20 deathsMelamine contamination of infant formula and dairy products, China, 2008Melamine (chemical contaminant, not a pathogen)Powdered infant formula and other dairy products · China · 200854000 cases, 3 deathsE. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to fresh spinach, United States, 2006Escherichia coli O157:H7Fresh spinach and spinach-containing products from brands processed by Natural Selection Foods · United States · 2006199 cases, 3 deathsAflatoxin poisoning outbreak linked to maize, Eastern and Central provinces, Kenya, 2004Aflatoxin B1 (a mould toxin, not an infectious pathogen)Locally grown maize stored damp · Kenya · 2004317 cases, 125 deathsE. coli O157 outbreak linked to cooked meat from a butcher, central Scotland, 1996 to 1997Escherichia coli O157:H7Cooked meat and meat products from a butcher's shop in Wishaw, including stewed beef served at a church lunch · United Kingdom · 1996 to 1997496 cases, 21 deathsE. coli O157:H7 outbreaks among schoolchildren, Sakai City and Japan, 1996Escherichia coli O157:H7School lunches, with white radish sprouts judged the most likely vehicle in later studies · Japan · 19969578 cases, 11 deathsE. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to hamburgers from a fast food restaurant chain, western United States, 1992 to 1993Escherichia coli O157:H7Undercooked regular-sized hamburger patties served at a fast food chain · United States · 1992 to 1993500 cases, 4 deaths