List of foodborne illness outbreaks by death toll

This is a list of foodborne illness outbreaks by death toll, caused by infectious disease, heavy metals, chemical contamination, or from natural toxins, such as those found in poisonous mushrooms. Before modern microbiology, foodborne illness was not understood, and, from the mid 1800s to early-mid 1900s, was perceived as ptomaine poisoning, caused by a fundamental flaw in understanding how it worked. While the medical establishment ditched ptomaine theory by the 1930s, it remained in the public consciousness until the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Outside of botulism (which has been well known since the early 1900s and killed often at the time), many other foodborne illnesses such as salmonellosis were not monitored closely or kept careful track of until at least the late 1970s, with overall monitoring only fully taking off after the 1992–1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak.

Outbreaks caused by infectious agents Year Event Agent Food Company Infected Deaths Notes1951:Pont-Saint-Esprit Ergotism OutbreakErgotBaked breadLocal bakery719361936 Hamamatsu daifuku ricecake illness outbreakUnknownDaifuku rice cakeMiyoshino confectionery store (Source:Hamamatsu City, Japanese government, Weekly Bunshun Online)According to Japanese government official confirmed report, the sports day on May 10, 1936 on Hamamatsu first junior highschool (present day of Hamamatsu West Senior Highschool), Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, where produced by Miyoshino Confectionery Store and distributed to related parties, that daifuku rice cake were distributed to students and staff. The day after the distribution, people who ate the daifuku developed food poisoning, and according to official reports from the Hamamatsu City Health and Welfare Bureau and the Japanese government, 883 students, 1,161 family members of students, 21 staff members, and 51 family members of staff members were infected, some sourse report,this affect number was 2,296 persons, total with 29 students and 15 families were human fatalities, a worst food poison disaster in Japan and Northeast Asia on history, an owner of Japanese confectionery company of Miyoshiya has refused heared by lical official. 19841984 Kumamoto mustard lotus root foodborne illness outbreakBtulinum toxinMustard lotus root manufactureSanko mustard lotus root manufacture (Sourse:Kumamoto City, Japanese Welfare Ministry)According to former Japan Welfare Ministry official confirmed report, on June 9, 1984, mass food poisoning incident involving botulinum spores occurred due to vacuum-packed mustard lotus root manufactured and sold by Sanko mustard lotus root manufacturer, Kumamoto, Kyushu Island based company in Japan, in which 36 people became affected, 11 of whom died. 2017–20182017–18 South African listeriosis outbreakListeriaprocessed meatEnterprise FoodsA widespread listeriosis outbreak from contaminated deli meats from Enterprise Foods, a subsidiary of Tiger Brands. It is the world's worst listeriosis outbreak.c.1970-1996 vCJD/HSBE in British beef prions beefnationwide beef producers 178178Believed to have been caused by supplementing cattle feed with meat and bone meal. Resulted in the slaughter of over four million cattle, and a 10 year ban on exports of British beef.20112011 Germany E. coli O104:H4 outbreakE. coli O104:H4fenugreek sprouts Deadliest bacterial foodborne outbreak in Europe. Deadliest E. coli outbreak on record.1985 1985 California listeriosis outbreak in cheese Listeria queso fresco Jalisco Cheese Deadliest bacterial foodborne outbreak in US.2011 2011 United States listeriosis outbreak in cantaloupes Listeria cantaloupe Jensen Farms Second deadliest bacterial foodborne outbreak in US. Second deadliest listeriosis outbreak. 2008 2008 Canada listeriosis outbreak Listeria cold cuts Maple Leaf Foods Deadliest foodborne outbreak in Canada.19961996 Wishaw (Scotland) E. coli outbreakE. coli O157meatJohn BarrAt 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. Deadliest outbreak of the 0157 strain.1998 1998 United States listeriosis outbreak Listeria cold cuts and hot dogsBil Mar Foods 2008–20092008–2009 Chile listeriosis outbreakListeriacecina, sausages, cheese and other dairy productsDoñihue Limitada164162014 2013–2014 Danish listeriosis outbreakListeria spiced lamb roll, pork, sausages, bacon, liver pâté, etc. Jørn A. Rullepølser 2024 2023-2024 North American salmonellosis outbreak in cantaloupe Salmonella cantaloupe Malchita 597 15 Caused by Salmonella serovars Sundsvall and Oranienburg. 1985 1985 United States salmonellosis outbreak in milk Salmonella milk Hillfarm Dairy Caused by Salmonella serovar Typhimurium. 2008 2008 United States salmonellosis outbreak in peanutsSalmonella peanutsPeanut Corporation of America Largest foodborne Salmonella outbreak in peanut butter. One of the largest food recalls in United States history. 2002 2002 United States listeriosis outbreak in poultry Listeria poultry Pilgrim's Pride 2015–present European listeriosis outbreak (2015–present) Listeria frozen corn suspected Hungarian supplier→Hungarian processing company→Polish storage service→Polish packer the ongoing outbreak has affected five European Union countries: Austria: 2 confirmed cases (1 fatal) Denmark: 4 confirmed cases (1 fatal) Finland: 14 confirmed cases (2 fatal) Sweden: 6 confirmed cases (2 fatal) United Kingdom: 6 confirmed cases (no fatalities) 1992–1993 1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak E. coli O157:H7 undercooked hamburgers Jack in the Box First deadly foodborne E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. 2003 2003 Chi-Chi's hepatitis A outbreak Hepatitis A virus green onions Largest foodborne hepatitis outbreak.2006 2006 North American E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in spinach E. coli O157:H7 spinach Dole Foods 20242024 Canadian listeriosis outbreakListerianut milkSilk and Great Value203Listeria contamination in various nut milk products led to at least 20 cases of listeriosis, including 3 deaths in Ontario between August 2023 and July 2024. 1963 1963 botulism case from canned tuna Botulinum toxin canned tuna A&P 1922 1922 Loch Maree botulism outbreak Botulinum toxin duck paste Lazenby's Six guests and two staff members at the Loch Maree Hotel in Scotland were fatally poisoned by sandwiches made with duck paste contaminated with botulinum toxin. This was the first incident in the UK in which botulism was conclusively identified as the cause and remains the only large incident of microbial food contamination in the UK with 100% reported fatalities. 1971 1971 botulism case from Bon Vivant soup Botulinum toxinvichyssoise soup Bon Vivant Company 1996 1996 Odwalla E. coli outbreak E. coli O157:H7 unpasteurized apple juice Odwalla Unpasteurized juice sold for the health market. Rotten apples used when safety officer was overruled.2005 2005 South Wales E. coli O157 outbreak E. coli O157 meat local butcher Largest E. coli outbreak in Wales. Second largest E. coli outbreak in UK.2017 2017 Valley Oak Nacho Cheese botulism outbreakBotulinum toxin nacho cheesegas station 101A poorly maintained nacho cheese machine lead to the contamination of the cheese and the sicking of 10 people with botulism, one of whom later died.1994Salmonella in ice creamSalmonellaice creamSchwan's Sales EnterprisesAn estimated 224,000 people across the United States suffered from gastroenteritis caused by Salmonella serovar Enteritidis after eating Schwan's ice cream when raw, unpasteurized eggs were hauled in a tanker truck that later carried pasteurized ice cream to the Schwan's plant, and the ice cream premix was not pasteurized after delivery to the plant.

Outbreaks caused by chemical contamination Year Event Food Contaminant Location Affected Deaths Notes 1971 1971 Iraq poison grain disaster wheat, barley methylmercury Iraq Seeds treated with methylmercury as a fungicide for planting were used as food1981 1981 Spain rapeseed oil toxicity rapeseed oil possibly aniline Spain Industrial oil sold as food oil.1955 powdered milk arsenic Japan By mistake, an industrial grade Monosodium phosphate was added to milk produced by Morinaga Milk Industry, which contained an impurity of 5–8% arsenic. The milk powder was used for feeding infants, and many babies were poisoned. By 1981, there were still >6,000 people affected as adults with severe intellectual disabilities and other health effects; and by 2006, >600 adults remained affected. 1900 1900 English beer poisoning beer arsenic England Arsenic was introduced into beer via contaminated sugar. Outbreak made worse by mass-misdiagnosis of the victims' illnesses.1942 1942 Oregon State Hospital poisoning scrambled eggs sodium fluoride United States Instead of powdered milk, sodium fluoride, a poison to kill cockroaches, had been accidentally used in the cooking process 2005 Mabini food poisoning incident fritters carbamate Philippines Pesticide ingredient was believed to have been inadvertently mixed with cassava flour used in making the snacks which were then sold to schoolchildren1858 1858 Bradford sweets poisoning candy arsenic trioxide England Arsenic was accidentally sold as "daft". Daft was a standard adulterant to bulk up the candy 2008 2008 Chinese milk scandal milk melamine and urea China Milk diluted with water then melamine added to fool the test for protein content (c)1930 "Jake leg" affair Jamaica ginger tricresyl phosphate USA Tricresyl phosphate, at the time thought to be non-toxic, was used to adulterate ginger extract made by Hub Product Corp., sold as a patent medicine and drunk for its high alcohol content. Thousands of people suffered permanent peripheral nerve damage, causing a loss of manual dexterity and a peculiar gait known as "Jake leg"

See also List of epidemics List of food contamination incidents

References