--- title: "E. coli outbreak sickened more than 80 people, but details didn’t surface" date: 2025-06-03T18:50:00-07:00 author: Julie Dueck canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/news_events/e-coli-outbreak-sickened-more-than-80-people-but-details-didnt-surface" section: News --- [All News](/news_events) / [Publications](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/publications) / # E. coli outbreak sickened more than 80 people, but details didn’t surface **Washington Post | By Stephanie Armour | May 2025** Food safety inspections are being scaled back and the public was not notified after an investigation into *E. coli* contamination. ![Colton George](https://holistic-kudu.transforms.svdcdn.com/production/imrs.webp?w=916&h=810&auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=crop&dm=1749001449&s=c08954fe8048c2db2802948897829c75)##### Colton George was among those who got sick with E. coli and landed in the hospital after ingesting tainted lettuce. (Photo: Amber George) Colton George felt sick. The nine-year-old Indiana boy told his parents his stomach hurt. He kept running to the bathroom and felt too ill to finish a basketball game. Days later, he lay in a hospital bed, fighting for his life. He had eaten tainted salad, according to a lawsuit against the lettuce grower filed by his parents on April 17, 2025, in federal court for the Southern District of Indiana. The *E. coli* bacteria that ravaged Colton’s kidneys was [a genetic match ](https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.food-safety.com/articles/10329-uncovered-fda-did-not-disclose-fatal-e-coli-outbreak-linked-to-lettuce-in-2024__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!AO4iqqkXnkO1PlaCXa5lhMRjOfU-GgAEfeVrkTL5GYMsAJzRm2dPn4dR6ysgT4iqrPKm9_KCuGFuqaeDpqxK2oRVGQ$ "https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.food-safety.com/articles/10329-uncovered-fda-did-not-disclose-fatal-e-coli-outbreak-linked-to-lettuce-in-2024__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!AO4iqqkXnkO1PlaCXa5lhMRjOfU-GgAEfeVrkTL5GYMsAJzRm2dPn4dR6ysgT4iqrPKm9_KCuGFuqaeDpqx")to the strain that killed one person and sickened nearly 90 people in 15 states last fall. Federal health agencies investigated the cases and linked them to a farm that grew romaine lettuce. But most people have never heard about this outbreak, which a Feb. 11 [internal Food and Drug Administration memo ](https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.marlerblog.com/files/2025/04/2411MOEXH-2-Romaine-E.-coli-FDA-Records.pdf__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!AO4iqqkXnkO1PlaCXa5lhMRjOfU-GgAEfeVrkTL5GYMsAJzRm2dPn4dR6ysgT4iqrPKm9_KCuGFuqaeDpqxPL2434g$ "https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.marlerblog.com/files/2025/04/2411MOEXH-2-Romaine-E.-coli-FDA-Records.pdf__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!AO4iqqkXnkO1PlaCXa5lhMRjOfU-GgAEfeVrkTL5GYMsAJzRm2dPn4dR6ysgT4iqrPKm9_KCuGFuqaeDpqxPL2434g$")linked to a single lettuce processor and ranch as the source of the contamination. In what many experts said was a break with common practice, officials never issued public communications after the investigation nor identified the grower who produced the lettuce. From failing to publicize a major outbreak to scaling back safety alert specialists and rules, the Trump administration’s anti-regulatory and cost-cutting push risks unraveling a critical system that helps ensure the safety of the U.S. food supply, according to consumer advocates, researchers, and former employees at the FDA and U.S. Department of Agriculture. The investigation into the illnesses began near the end of the Biden administration but work on the lettuce outbreak wasn’t completed until Feb. 11. At that time, the decision was made by the Trump administration not to release the names of the grower and processor because the FDA said no product remained on the market. The administration has also withdrawn [a proposed regulation](https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.cidrap.umn.edu/foodborne-disease/usda-withdraws-proposal-reduce-salmonella-poultry*:*:text=The*20US*20Department*20of*20Agriculture,linked*20to*20raw*20poultry*20products__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!F2_MkMMtI1xXhAvidSaaMeZeyc2E7Me9IVXVfYHndYPNrAN3TXU-mHUDzfu5Cu1obUr8vn3OixrgRHl7wywGVF3UTw$ "https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.cidrap.umn.edu/foodborne-disease/usda-withdraws-proposal-reduce-salmonella-poultry*:*:text=The*20US*20Department*20of*20Agriculture,linked*20to*20raw*20poultry*20products__;I34lJSUlJSUlJQ!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!F2_MkMMt") to reduce the presence of *Salmonella* in raw poultry, according to an [April 2025 USDA alert](https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/news-press-releases/special-alert-constituent-update-april-24-2025__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!F2_MkMMtI1xXhAvidSaaMeZeyc2E7Me9IVXVfYHndYPNrAN3TXU-mHUDzfu5Cu1obUr8vn3OixrgRHl7wyzBZGPkjA$ "https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/news-press-releases/special-alert-constituent-update-april-24-2025__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!F2_MkMMtI1xXhAvidSaaMeZeyc2E7Me9IVXVfYHndYPNrAN3TXU-mHUDzfu5Cu1obUr8vn3OixrgRHl7wyzBZGPkjA$"). The regulation was projected to save more than $13 million annually by preventing more than 3,000 illnesses, according to [the proposal.](https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/08/07/2024-16963/salmonella-framework-for-raw-poultry-products__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!F2_MkMMtI1xXhAvidSaaMeZeyc2E7Me9IVXVfYHndYPNrAN3TXU-mHUDzfu5Cu1obUr8vn3OixrgRHl7wyyWYTSEeA$ "https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/08/07/2024-16963/salmonella-framework-for-raw-poultry-products__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!F2_MkMMtI1xXhAvidSaaMeZeyc2E7Me9IVXVfYHndYPNrAN3TXU-mHUDzfu5Cu1obUr8vn3OixrgRHl7wyyWYTSEeA$") Officials from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have said that food safety is a priority, and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said in an April 29, 2025 interview with the newsletter[ ](https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/insidemedicine.substack.com/p/exclusive-in-conversation-with-fda__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!F2_MkMMtI1xXhAvidSaaMeZeyc2E7Me9IVXVfYHndYPNrAN3TXU-mHUDzfu5Cu1obUr8vn3OixrgRHl7wyxg9AeyAQ$ "https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/insidemedicine.substack.com/p/exclusive-in-conversation-with-fda__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!F2_MkMMtI1xXhAvidSaaMeZeyc2E7Me9IVXVfYHndYPNrAN3TXU-mHUDzfu5Cu1obUr8vn3OixrgRHl7wyxg9AeyAQ$")[Inside Medicine](https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/insidemedicine.substack.com/p/exclusive-in-conversation-with-fda__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!F2_MkMMtI1xXhAvidSaaMeZeyc2E7Me9IVXVfYHndYPNrAN3TXU-mHUDzfu5Cu1obUr8vn3OixrgRHl7wyxg9AeyAQ$ "https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/insidemedicine.substack.com/p/exclusive-in-conversation-with-fda__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!F2_MkMMtI1xXhAvidSaaMeZeyc2E7Me9IVXVfYHndYPNrAN3TXU-mHUDzfu5Cu1obUr8vn3OixrgRHl7wyxg9AeyAQ$") that recent job cuts would not affect agency operations. “The FDA had 9,500 employees in 2007. Last year it was nearly 19,000. Has the 100% increase in employees increased approval times, innovation, AI, food safety, or agency morale?” Makary asked. “No, it hasn’t. In fact, it has increased regulatory creep.” The FDA referred questions to HHS, which declined to comment or make Makary available for an interview. In a statement, the agency said “protecting public health and insuring food safety remain top priorities for HHS. FDA inspectors were not impacted \[by job cuts\] and this critical work will continue.” Public health advocates warn that companies and growers will face less regulatory oversight and fewer consequences for selling tainted food products as a result of recent FDA actions. The administration is disbanding a Justice Department unit that pursues civil and criminal actions against companies that sell contaminated food and is reassigning its attorneys. Some work will be assumed by other divisions, according to a publicly posted memo from the head of the department’s criminal division and a white paper by the law firm Gibson Dunn. The Justice Department did not respond to an email requesting comment. “They need the DOJ to enforce the law,” said Sarah Sorscher, Director of Regulatory Affairs at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group. “For an executive investing in food safety, the knowledge they could go to jail if they don’t is a really strong motivator. ” Federal regulators also want states to conduct more inspections, according to two former FDA officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation. But some Democratic lawmakers say states lack the resources to take over most food safety inspections. “Handing that duty to state and local agencies is really troubling,” said Rep. Shontel M. Brown (D-Ohio). “They don’t have the resources, and it creates a potentially unsafe situation that puts families in Ohio and America at risk.” Foodborne illnesses exact a major economic toll in the U.S., according to federal data, and cost thousands of lives each year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates the deaths, chronic illness, medical treatment, and lost productivity from food-related illnesses amounted to $75 billion in 2023. Each year, about 48 million people in the U.S. get sick with foodborne illnesses, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die, according to the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.](https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/foodborneburden/index.html__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!F2_MkMMtI1xXhAvidSaaMeZeyc2E7Me9IVXVfYHndYPNrAN3TXU-mHUDzfu5Cu1obUr8vn3OixrgRHl7wyxrIdg5ZQ$ "https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/foodborneburden/index.html__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!F2_MkMMtI1xXhAvidSaaMeZeyc2E7Me9IVXVfYHndYPNrAN3TXU-mHUDzfu5Cu1obUr8vn3OixrgRHl7wyxrIdg5ZQ$") In its first few months, the administration has suspended a program known as the Food Emergency Response Network Proficiency Testing that ensures food-testing labs accurately identify pathogens that can sicken or kill, according to a former FDA official. In March, the agency said it would delay implementation of the Biden-era rule that aims to speed up the identification and removal of potentially contaminated food from the market from January 2026 to July 2028. However, the FDA is taking aim at foreign food manufacturing, stating in a May 6, 2025 notice that it would expand [unannounced inspections ](https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-announces-expanded-use-unannounced-inspections-foreign-manufacturing-facilities "https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-announces-expanded-use-unannounced-inspections-foreign-manufacturing-facilities")overseas. “This expanded approach marks a new era in FDA enforcement — stronger, smarter, and unapologetically in support of the public health and safety of Americans,” the notice said. Some former FDA and USDA officials said that goal isn’t realistic, because U.S. inspectors often need to obtain travel visas that can wind up alerting companies to their arrival. “It’s really, really difficult to do surprise inspections,” said Brian Ronholm, Director of Food Policy for Consumer Reports and a former USDA deputy undersecretary for food safety. “The visa process can alert the local authority.” HHS declined to address Ronholm’s concerns. The FDA hasn’t met the mandated targets for inspecting food facilities in the U.S. since fiscal year 2018, and the agency has consistently fallen short of meeting its annual targets for foreign inspections, according to a [January report ](https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.gao.gov/assets/gao-25-107571.pdf__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!AO4iqqkXnkO1PlaCXa5lhMRjOfU-GgAEfeVrkTL5GYMsAJzRm2dPn4dR6ysgT4iqrPKm9_KCuGFuqaeDpqx4kCwnog$ "https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.gao.gov/assets/gao-25-107571.pdf__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!AO4iqqkXnkO1PlaCXa5lhMRjOfU-GgAEfeVrkTL5GYMsAJzRm2dPn4dR6ysgT4iqrPKm9_KCuGFuqaeDpqx4kCwnog$")by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Foodborne illness can turn serious. Listeria bacteria in cucumbers [sickened dozens of people](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-salmonella-cucumbers-may-2025 "https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-salmonella-cucumbers-may-2025") in April and May and left at least nine people hospitalized, according to the FDA. Salmonella in peanut butter [killed nine](https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/09/21/442335132/peanut-exec-gets-28-years-in-prison-for-deadly-salmonella-outbreak*:*:text=Don*20Petersen/AP-,Peanut*20Corporation*20of*20America*27s*20then*2Dpresident*20Stewart*20Parnell*20arrives*20at,from*20tainted*20peanut*20butter*20products.&text=A*20former*20corporate*20CEO*20has,the*20company*27s*20CEO*2C*20Stewart*20Parnell__;I34lJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUl!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!AO4iqqkXnkO1PlaCXa5lhMRjOfU-GgAEfeVrkTL5GYMsAJzRm2dPn4dR6ysgT4iqrPKm9_KCuGFuqaeDpqzceE-_oQ$ "https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/09/21/442335132/peanut-exec-gets-28-years-in-prison-for-deadly-salmonella-outbreak*:*:text=Don*20Petersen/AP-,Peanut*20Corporation*20of*20America*27s*20then*2Dpresident*20Stewart*20Parne") in 2009, resulting in criminal charges against company executives. And[ ](https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/billmarler.com/key_case/linda-rivera-the-2009-nestle-toll-house-cookie-dough-e.-coli-outbreak__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!F2_MkMMtI1xXhAvidSaaMeZeyc2E7Me9IVXVfYHndYPNrAN3TXU-mHUDzfu5Cu1obUr8vn3OixrgRHl7wywfdk4B4g$ "https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/billmarler.com/key_case/linda-rivera-the-2009-nestle-toll-house-cookie-dough-e.-coli-outbreak__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!F2_MkMMtI1xXhAvidSaaMeZeyc2E7Me9IVXVfYHndYPNrAN3TXU-mHUDzfu5Cu1obUr8vn3OixrgRHl7wywfdk4B4g$")*E. coli* [in cookie dough ](https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/billmarler.com/key_case/linda-rivera-the-2009-nestle-toll-house-cookie-dough-e.-coli-outbreak__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!F2_MkMMtI1xXhAvidSaaMeZeyc2E7Me9IVXVfYHndYPNrAN3TXU-mHUDzfu5Cu1obUr8vn3OixrgRHl7wywfdk4B4g$ "https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/billmarler.com/key_case/linda-rivera-the-2009-nestle-toll-house-cookie-dough-e.-coli-outbreak__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!F2_MkMMtI1xXhAvidSaaMeZeyc2E7Me9IVXVfYHndYPNrAN3TXU-mHUDzfu5Cu1obUr8vn3OixrgRHl7wywfdk4B4g$")sickened more than 70 people in 2009, including a Nevada mother who died of complications from eating the raw dough. *E. coli,* commonly found in feces, can be especially dangerous to children like Colton, the boy from Avon, Indiana, who ate contaminated lettuce. The bacteria can damage blood vessels and cause clots that destroy the kidneys, leading to strokes and comas. Consumers sickened by E. coli can pass it along to others, and, in some cases, the bacteria end up killing victims who never consumed the contaminated food. By the time Colton’s mother brought him to the emergency room that November day, the bacteria were releasing toxins and damaging his blood cells and kidneys, according to his father, Chris George. Colton was sent to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. Chris said doctors told him and his wife, Amber George, that their son was in kidney failure and the next 24 to 72 hours would determine whether he would survive, the father recalled. “They said it was life or death for our son, and I was like, wait, he was just playing basketball,” said Chris, a firefighter. “I told them ‘You do what you need to do to save my son.’” The FDA typically alerts the public and identifies growers and food manufacturers when there are outbreaks like the one that sickened Colton. The FDA said in its February internal summary that the grower wasn’t named because no product remained on the market. But Bill Marler, a Seattle lawyer who specializes in food-safety litigation and represents the George family, said the information is still important because it can prevent more cases, pressure growers to improve sanitation, and identify repeat offenders. It also gives victims an explanation for their illnesses and helps them determine who they might take legal action against, Marler said. “Normally we would see the information on their websites,” said Marler, adding that the agency’s investigatory findings on the outbreak were “all redacted” and he obtained them through a Freedom of Information Act request. The FDA, USDA, and CDC play central roles in overseeing food safety, including inspections and investigations. The FDA and CDC have been rocked by job cuts that are part of a reduction of 20,000 staff at HHS, their parent agency. The Agriculture Department has also shrunk its workforce. Staffing cuts mean delays in publicizing deadly outbreaks, said Susan Mayne, an adjunct professor at Yale School of Public Health who retired from the FDA in 2023. “Consumers are being notified with delays about important food safety notifications,” she said, referring to a recent outbreak in cucumbers. “People can die if there are pathogens like listeria, which can have a 30 percent fatality rate.” Makary [has said the cuts wouldn’t touch inspectors, reviewers, or scientists ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4mojSYOTnQ&t=2105s "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4mojSYOTnQ&t=2105s")at the agency. But this April the FDA laid off scientists who worked at food safety labs in Chicago and San Francisco, where they performed specialized analysis for food inspectors, former FDA officials said. The FDA later restored some positions. “No scientists were fired? That was incorrect,” Mayne said. Siobhan DeLancey, who worked in the agency’s Office of Foods and Veterinary Medicine for more than 20 years before she was laid off in April, said new requirements for reviewing agency announcements became so arduous that it took weeks to get approval for alerts that should have gone out much sooner. She said employees who were laid off included communications specialists and web staff who do consumer outreach aimed at preventing illness. The USDA and FDA have been [bringing some workers back ](https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.govexec.com/workforce/2025/04/some-agencies-are-walking-back-workforce-cuts-critical-functions-risk-failure/404868/__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!AO4iqqkXnkO1PlaCXa5lhMRjOfU-GgAEfeVrkTL5GYMsAJzRm2dPn4dR6ysgT4iqrPKm9_KCuGFuqaeDpqwdGZprog$ "https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.govexec.com/workforce/2025/04/some-agencies-are-walking-back-workforce-cuts-critical-functions-risk-failure/404868/__;!!M9LbjjnYNg9jBDflsQ!AO4iqqkXnkO1PlaCXa5lhMRjOfU-GgAEfeVrkTL5GYMsAJzRm2dPn4dR6ysgT4iqrPKm9_KCuGFuq")or are asking some who accepted deferred resignations to take back their decisions. “It’s all about destruction and not about efficiency,” DeLancey said. “We’re going to see the effects for years. It will cost lives.” HHS did not respond to an email seeking a response to DeLancey’s comments. For 13 days, Colton stayed on dialysis at the hospital, initially unable to eat or drink. His mother wet a sponge to moisten his lips and tongue. He turned 10 in the hospital. Chris George bought paint markers to make signs on the windows of his son’s room. “I am not happy with the CDC and FDA,” Chris said. “Victims have a right to know who made them sick. This is my kid. He’s my life.” He was able to leave the hospital almost three weeks after first eating the contaminated lettuce, but still has nightmares about the ordeal and is seeing a therapist. “The whole ‘Make America Healthy Again,’ the focus on taking food color dyes out of cereal?” said Chris, who objects to the Trump administration’s decision to redact information about the grower in the February report. “How about we take *E. coli* out of our lettuce, so it doesn’t kill our kids?” ### Other E. coli Lawsuits [Raw Farms linked to another Raw Milk Cheese E.coli Outbreak - 9 People sickened - Company refuses to recall product](https://marlerclark.com/raw-farms-linked-to-another-raw-milk-cheese-e-coli-outbreak-7-people-sickened) [10 with E. coli linked to Cheese](https://marlerclark.com/3-with-e-coli-linked-to-cheese) [Sycamore Pool in Chico California Contaminated with E.coli - Two teens in ICU](https://marlerclark.com/sycamore-pool-in-chico-california-contaminated-with-e-coli-two-teens-in-icu) [Deadly Nationwide E.coli Outbreak Linked to Grimmway Farms Organic Baby and Whole Carrots sickens 48](https://marlerclark.com/nationwide-e-coli-outbreak-linked-to-grimmway-farms-organic-baby-and-whole-carrots) [E. coli Outbreak tied to Red Cow and Hen House Restaurants](https://marlerclark.com/e-coli-outbreak-tied-to-red-cow-and-hen-house-restaurants) [Rockwood Summit High School E. coli Outbreak](https://marlerclark.com/rockwood-summit-high-school-e-coli-outbreak) [McDonalds linked to 104 E. coli cases and 1 Death](https://marlerclark.com/mcdonalds-linked-to-nearly-50-e-coli-cases-and-1-death) [2 dead with 22 injured in E. coli Hamburger Outbreak in Montana](https://marlerclark.com/1-dead-with-13-injured-in-e-coli-hamburger-outbreak-in-montana) [E. coli Outbreak in Washington and California linked to Walnuts](https://marlerclark.com/e-coli-outbreak-in-washington-and-california-linked-to-walnuts) [Seattle PCC Market E. coli outbreak linked to Guacamole](https://marlerclark.com/seattle-ppc-market-e-coli-outbreak-linked-to-guacamole) [11 with E. coli linked to Raw Milk LLC Cheese](https://marlerclark.com/10-with-e-coli-linked-to-raw-milk-llc-cheese) [Miguel’s Cocina 4S Ranch E. coli Outbreak sickens 35](https://marlerclark.com/miguels-cocina-4s-ranch-e-coli-outbreak) ### Lawsuit updates about foodborne illnesses [Reactive Arthritis Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=reactive-arthritis&year=all) [E. coli Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=e-coli&year=all) [Guillain-Barre Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=guillain-barre-syndrome&year=all) [Salmonella Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=salmonella&year=all) [Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=hemolytic-uremic-syndrome&year=all) [Listeria Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=listeria&year=all) [Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=irritable-bowel-syndrome&year=all) [Hepatitis A Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=hepatitis-a&year=all) [Norovirus Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=norovirus&year=all) [Botulism Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=botulism&year=all) [Campylobacter Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=campylobacter&year=all) [Shigella Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=shigella&year=all) [Cyclospora Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=cyclospora&year=all) ### Lawsuits updates by year [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 1998](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=1998) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 1999](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=1999) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2000](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2000) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2001](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2001) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2002](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2002) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2003](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2003) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2004](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2004) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2005](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2005) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2006](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2006) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2007](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2007) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2008](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2008) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2009](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2009) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2010](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2010) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2011](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2011) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2012](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2012) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2013](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2013) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2014](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2014) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2015](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2015) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2016](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2016) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2017](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2017) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2018](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2018) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2019](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2019) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2020](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2020) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2021](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2021) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2022](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2022) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2023](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2023) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2024](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2024) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2025](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2025) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2026](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2026) ##### Get Help #### Affected by an outbreak or recall? The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more. [ Get a free consultation ](https://marlerclark.com/contact) ##### Related Resources ###### [E. coli Food Poisoning](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-food-poisoning) What is E. coli and how does it cause food poisoning? Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a highly studied, common species of bacteria that belongs to the family Enterobacteriaceae, so... ###### [E. coli O157:H7](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-o157h7) E. coli O157:H7 is a foodborne pathogen that causes food poisoning. E. coli O157:H7 is the most commonly identified and the most notorious Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) serotype in... ###### [Non-O157 STEC](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/non-o157-stec) Non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli can also cause food poisoning. E. coli O157:H7 may be the most notorious serotype of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), but there are at least... ###### [Sources of E. coli](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/sources-of-e-coli) Where do E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) come from? The primary reservoirs, or ultimate sources, of E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 STEC in nature are... ###### [Transmission of and Infection with E. coli](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/transmission-of-and-infection-with-e-coli) While many dairy cattle-associated foodborne disease outbreaks are linked to raw milk and other raw dairy products (e.g., cheeses, butter, ice cream), dairy cattle still represent a source of contamination... ##### Outbreak Database #### Looking for a comprehensive list of outbreaks? The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more. [ View Outbreak Database ](https://outbreakdatabase.com)