List of foodborne illness outbreaks by death toll

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is alist offoodborne illnessoutbreaks by death toll, caused byinfectious disease,heavy metals,chemical contamination, or from natural toxins, such as those found inpoisonous mushrooms.

Contents

[hide]

  • 1List by agent
  • 1.1By chemical contamination
  • 2See also
  • 3References

List by agent[edit]

Year / Event / Agent / Vehicle / Company / Infected / Deaths / Notes
1985 / 1985 California listeriosis outbreak in cheese / Listeria / queso fresco / Jalisco Cheese / >86[1] / 47 or 52[2] / Deadliest bacterial foodborne outbreak in US.[2][3]Deadliest Listeria outbreak.
2011 / 2011 Germany E. coli O104:H4 outbreak / E. coli O104:H4 / fenugreeksprouts[4] / >3,950[5] / 53[6] / Deadliest bacterial foodborne outbreak in Europe. Deadliest E. Coli outbreak.
2011 / 2011 United States listeriosis outbreak in cantaloupes / Listeria / cantaloupe[2] / Jensen Farms / 146 / 30[7] / Second deadliest bacterial foodborne outbreak in US. Second deadliest Listeria outbreak.
2008 / 2008 Canadian listeriosis outbreak in cold cuts / Listeria / cold cuts / Maple Leaf Foods[8] / >50 / 22[9] / Deadliest foodborne outbreak in Canada.
1998 / 1998 United States listeriosis outbreak in cold cuts / Listeria / cold cutsandhot dogs / Bil Mar Foods / >100 / 18 or 21[2][10]
2014 / 2013 - 2014 Danish listeriosis outbreak / Listeria / Spiced lamb roll, pork, sausages, bacon, liver pâté etc.[11] / Jørn A. Rullepølser / > 37 / 15[12] / Deadliest[citation needed]foodborne outbreak in Denmark.
1985 / 1985 United States salmonellosis outbreak in milk / Salmonella / milk / Hillfarm Dairy / 5,295[13] / 9[13] / Largest foodborne salmonella outbreak in milk.
2008 / 2008 United States salmonellosis outbreak in peanuts / Salmonella / peanuts / Peanut Corporation of America / >200 / 9 / Largest foodborne salmonella outbreak in peanut butter. One of the largest food recalls in United States history.[14]
2002 / 2002 United States listeriosis outbreak in poultry / Listeria / poultry / Pilgrim's Pride / >50[15] / 8[15]
1993 / 1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak / E. coli O157:H7 / undercookedhamburgers / Jack in the Box / >700[15] / 4[15] / First deadly foodborne E. coli O157:H7 outbreak.
2003 / 2003 United States hepatitis A outbreak / Hepatitis A / green onions / 555[16] / 3[16] / Largest foodborne hepatitis outbreak.
2006 / 2006 North American E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in spinach / E. coli O157:H7 / spinach / Dole Foods[15] / >205[15] / 3 / [17]
1963 / 1963 botulism case from canned tuna / Botulism / canned tuna / A&P / 2 / [18]
1971 / 1971 botulism case from Bon Vivant soup / Botulism / vichyssoise soup / Bon Vivant Company / 2[19] / 1[19]
1996 / 1996 Odwalla E. coli outbreak / E. coli O157:H7 / unpasteurizedapple juice / Odwalla / 66[20] / 1[21] / Unpasteurized juice sold for the health market. Rotten apples used when safety officer was overruled.[21]
2005 / 2005 South Wales E. coli O157 outbreak / E. coli O157 / meat / local butcher / 157[22] / 1[22] / Largest E. coli outbreak in Wales.[22]Second largest E. Coli outbreak in UK.[22]
1996 / 1996 Wishaw E. coli outbreak / E. coli O157 / meat / local butcher / >200 / 20 / At the time the world's deadliest outbreak of E. coli poisoning. Butchers John M. Barr & Son provided cooked meat products to several events including a birthday party and a pensioners' luncheon club. The source of the contamination was traced to a boiler used for cooking joints and stew, and a vacuum packing machine used for cooked and raw meats.[23]

By chemical contamination[edit]

Year / Event / Food / Contaminant / Location / Affected / Deaths / Notes
1971 / 1971 Iraq poison grain disaster / wheat, barley / methylmercury / Iraq / >650 / 650 / Seeds treated with methylmercury as a fungicide for planting were used as food
1981 / 1981 Spain rapeseed oil toxicity / rapeseed oil / possiblyaniline / Spain / ~25,000 / 600 / Industrial oil sold as food oil.[24]
1955 / Morinaga milk arsenic poisoning / Powdered milk / arsenic trioxide / Japan / 12,344 / 130 / By mistake, arsenic was mixed in powdered milk produced byMorinaga Milk Industry, and many babies were poisoned.
1858 / 1858 Bradford sweets poisoning / candy / arsenic trioxide / England / ~200 / 20 / Arsenic was accidentally sold as "daft". Daft was a standard adulterant to bulk up the candy
2008 / 2008 Chinese milk scandal / milk / melamineandurea / China / >300,000 / 6 / Milk diluted with water then melamine added to fool the test for protein content