2006 North American E. coli outbreak

In 2006, there were several outbreaks of foodborne illness from spinach and lettuce contaminated by E. coli O157:H7.

The initial outbreak occurred in September 2006 and its probable origin was an Angus cattle ranch that had leased land to spinach grower (growing under organic practices). At least 205 consumer illnesses and 3 deaths have been attributed to the tainted produce.

In December 2006, Taco Bell restaurants in four Northeastern states emerged as a common link among 71 sickened people across five states, 52 of whom were ultimately confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control to have tested positive the same E. coli strain. A total of 33 people in New Jersey, 22 in New York, 13 in Pennsylvania, 2 in Delaware, and 1 in South Carolina fell ill, according to the CDC.

The four states with Taco Bell restaurants where these consumers were confirmed to have eaten were in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. (The patient from South Carolina ate a Taco Bell restaurant in Pennsylvania).

Of the 71 reported cases, 53 were hospitalized and 8 developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic-uremic syndrome. According to the CDC, illness onset dates ranged from November 20 to December 6.

On December 7, 2006, an initial investigation attributed the outbreak to green onions, which had been supplied to the Taco Bell restaurants by a single McLane Company distribution center in Burlington Township, New Jersey.

Tainted green onions may have proven a ready culprit in part because of their involvement in at least one widely reported prior outbreak of E. coli. In 2003, green onions were suspected as the cause of a foodborne illness involving the Chi-Chi's restaurant chain in western Pennsylvania that killed 4 people and sickened 660.

After further investigation, Taco Bell determined that the cause of the problem was with lettuce, not green onions, and switched produce suppliers in the New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware area. Company president Greg Creed stated in a press release that Taco Bell was cooperating with the CDC and the FDA in the controversy and he also stated that two of the people who claimed they got sick from eating Taco Bell actually did not eat there. Even though green onions were proven to not be the source of Taco Bell's E. coli outbreak, Taco Bell has no plans to put them back on the menu.

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Wikipedia