Deadliest Foodborne Illness Outbreaks

Foodborne illness (also known as foodborne disease or food poisoning) is any illness resulting from the food spoilage of contaminated food, pathogenic bacteria, viruses, toxins or parasites that contaminate food.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 48 million foodborne illness cases occur in the United States every year.  At least 128,000 Americans are hospitalized, and 3,000 die after eating contaminated food.

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List of Deadliest Foodborne Illness Outbreaks

Below is a historical list of foodborne illness caused by infectious disease outbreaks with the greatest death toll.

Latest USDA Food Safety Recalls

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) ensures that our nation’s meat, poultry and processed egg supply is wholesome, safe and properly labeled. The USDA’s mission is to meet new foodborne safety challenges through prevention-based policies and practices.

• Jennie-O Turkey Store Sales, LLC Recalls Raw Ground Turkey Products due to Possible Salmonella Reading Contamination November 15, 2018
  Jennie-O Turkey Store Sales, LLC, a Barron, Wis. establishment, is recalling approximately 91,388 pounds of raw ground turkey products that may be associated with an illness outbreak of Salmonella Reading.
• Ron's Home Style Foods Recalls Ready to Eat Chicken Salad Products due to Possible Listeria Contamination November 14, 2018
  Ron's Home Style Foods, a Houston, Texas establishment, is recalling approximately 6,912 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) chicken salad products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes.
• NuVue Foods Recalls Burrito Products due to Misbranding and an Undeclared Allergen November 9, 2018
  NuVue Foods, a Hamtramck, Mich. establishment, is recalling approximately 268 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) chicken burrito products due to misbranding and an undeclared allergen.
• Baked Potatoes with Cheddar Cheese and Bacon (2 Count) Mis-Labeled as Herb Roasted Potatoes November 8, 2018
  Ukrop's Homestyle Foods is voluntarily recalling Baked Potatoes with Cheddar Cheese and Bacon (2 count), as the product is mislabeled Herb Roasted Potatoes (see photo attached).
• Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Milk in Wegmans Pumpkin Loaf, 11 oz., and Wegmans Placek Coffee Cake, 11 oz. and 22 oz. November 7, 2018
  Wegmans has initiated a voluntary recall of the following products because they may contain milk not declared on the label. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product.
• Sprout Creek Farm Recalls "Margie" Cheese Due to Listeria Monocytogenes November 7, 2018
  Sprout Creek Farm of Poughkeepsie, New York is recalling 132 wheels of "Margie" cheese, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.
• Ganaderos Borges, Inc. Recalls Pork Products due to Possible Foreign Matter Contamination November 6, 2018
  Ganaderos Borges, Inc., a Naguabo, P.R. establishment, is recalling approximately 14,760 pounds of pork patty products that may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically metal.
• Nutrisca Issues Recall of Dry Dog Food Due to Elevated Levels of Vitamin D November 3, 2018
  Nutrisca, of Saint Louis, Missouri is voluntarily recalling one formula of Nutrisca dry dog food (described below) due to it containing elevated levels of vitamin D.
• Natural Life Pet Products Issues Recall of Dry Food Due to Elevated Levels of Vitamin D November 3, 2018
  Natural Life Pet Products of Saint Louis, Missouri is voluntarily recalling our Chicken & Potato dry dog food (described below) due to it containing elevated levels of Vitamin D.
• Frito-Lay Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Milk In Select Smartfood Delight Sea Salt Flavored Popcorn November 2, 2018
  Frito-Lay announced a voluntary recall of select 1/2 oz. bags of Smartfood Delight Sea Salt Flavored popcorn because they were inadvertently filled with cheese flavored tortilla chips that contain undeclared milk ingredients. The recalled bags were sold only in the two variety packs listed below.