Foodborne illness outbreaks overlap from 2024 into 2025

As 2025 begins, the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to investigate outbreaks of foodborne illnesses that started in 2024.

Overall, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted information in 2024 on 13 multi-state outbreaks of infections caused by E. coli, Listeria and Salmonella. In addition, the CDC typically coordinates between 17 and 36 investigations of foodborne illnesses each week, according to the agency.

One of the outbreaks not yet declared over has been traced to Yu Shang Food Inc. ready-to-eat meat and poultry products. The CDC has reported that 19 patients have now been identified, and two babies in California and one in Tennessee have died. However, one of the babies in California — a pair of twins whose mother was also sick — did not test positive for the outbreak strain of Listeria and is therefore not included in the patient total.

The patients are spread across eight states. Of 17 patients with complete information available, all 17 have required hospitalization.

An E. coli O157:H7 outbreak not yet declared over has been traced to romaine lettuce. The patient count stands at 88. The sick people are spread across 12 states, but the Food and Drug Administration is not yet reporting which states are involved.

Illnesses began in mid-November, and the FDA first reported the outbreak on Dec. 4. The FDA is not naming the lettuce supplier, even though the agency has identified it and is conducting onsite inspections. The lettuce was distributed to restaurants, caterers and a school.

An outbreak traced to cucumbers has sickened 100 and hospitalized at least 25 people. The sick people are spread across 23 states. The implicated cucumbers, distributed by importers SunFed Produce, Baloian Farms and Russ Davis Wholesale, were recalled. A number of products containing cucumbers, such as deli trays and salads, were also recalled in relation to the outbreak.

Another ongoing outbreak that the FDA is investigating but that the CDC has not yet reported on is a Listeria outbreak that has sickened 31 people. The FDA has not reported where the patients live. The agency is not yet reporting a source of the pathogen, but it has begun product traceback, testing and onsite inspections.

An outbreak associated with “edible” products has sickened at least 180 people, killing three. The patients are spread across 34 states and 73 have required hospitalization. The illnesses have been traced to Diamond Shruumz brand chocolate bars, cones and gummies. The company has recalled all of its products.

2024 outbreaks declared over

The Food and Drug Administration reports investigating 26 outbreaks in 2024. The FDA’s investigations often do not find a source of foodborne pathogens and therefore the CDC does not include those outbreaks in its reporting.

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service investigated seven outbreaks in 2024, some of which the CDC reported on.

At the top of the list of outbreaks in 2024 is a deadly Listeria outbreak caused by deli meat made by Boar’s Head. In total there were 61 confirmed patients across 19 states. Ten people died. More than 7 million pounds of deli meat was recalled in relation to the outbreak, which was initially reported in July.

During the investigation into the Boar’s Head outbreak, the USDA reported that numerous food safety violations at the company’s Jarret, VA, production plant had been documented by inspectors going back at least two years. The company closed the plant and permanently ceased production of liverwurst nationwide.

As a result of the investigation into the Boar’s Head outbreak, the USDA has begun an internal investigation into its inspection and reporting processes. The U.S. Department of Justice has initiated an investigation into USDA practices.

The outbreak with the most victims overall was caused by cucumbers from Florida grower Bedner Growers Inc. The outbreak sickened 551 people in 34 states and the District of Columbia. 

Untreated canal water used by Bedner of Boynton Beach, FL, matched the strain of Salmonella Braenderup that sickened some of the outbreak patients. Additional salmonella strains were detected in soil and water samples collected at Bedner Growers. Also, whole genome sequencing analysis determined that water used by Thomas Produce Company contained Salmonella, which matched a strain of Salmonella Braenderup that caused some of the illnesses in the outbreak.

For a deadly outbreak of E. coli O121:H19 infections traced to organic carrots from Grimmway Farms, the CDC has declared the outbreak over. The FDA investigation has ended, but the agency is still consulting with Grimmway Farms to ensure that another outbreak does not occur. There were 48 patients confirmed across 19 states, 20 of whom required hospitalization. One patient died, and another developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that can cause kidney failure and brain damage.

An E. coli O157:H7 outbreak tied to ground beef sickened 19 people across four states. Seven people were hospitalized. Wolverine Packing Co. recalled 1.8 million pounds of ground beef in relation to the outbreak.

Onions on McDonald’s hamburgers were determined to be the source of another outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections. The CDC reported 104 patients from 14 states were confirmed. Of those patients, 38 required hospitalization and one patient died. Four patients developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can cause kidney failure.

Taylor Farms supplied the onions that were determined to be the source of the E. coli. Patients became ill from mid-September through Oct. 21. The company recalled its yellow onions on Oct. 22. By then, McDonald’s had stopped serving slivered onions on its products and temporarily stopped serving Quarter Pounders at some of its restaurants. Ground beef was tested and came back negative for E. coli contamination.

Another large outbreak in 2024 was traced to Salmonella in eggs. There were 93 confirmed patients, 34 of whom required hospitalization. The patients were spread across 12 states. Investigators determined that the outbreak was caused by eggs from Milo’s Poultry Farms LLC of Bonduel, WI. 

The FDA conducted an on-site inspection and collected samples at Milo’s. Salmonella Enteritidis was detected in samples collected from the packing facility and poultry house. Whole-genome sequencing analysis determined that the strain of Salmonella detected in the samples matched the strain that caused illnesses in this outbreak.

In response to the outbreak investigation, Milo’s recalled all eggs supplied by their farm.

An outbreak caused by raw milk started in 2023 but extended into 2024. As of February 2024, at least 165 people were sickened with Salmonella infections tied to products from Raw Farm LLC, of Fresno, CA, according to public health records. It is the largest reported Salmonella outbreak linked to raw milk in the U.S. in the past decade, according to health officials.

State and local health officials hadn’t updated the public about the full scope of the salmonella outbreak since October 2023, when officials in San Diego reported about a dozen cases. At the time, Raw Farm issued a voluntary recall of its unpasteurized milk and heavy cream sold between Oct. 11 and Nov. 6.

Investigators matched samples from sick people to samples from the farm and a retail store. People from four states were infected, though the vast majority, 162, were from California. Four of the people with Salmonella were also infected with Campylobacter and/or E. coli bacteria, according to investigation records. Nearly 40 percent of illnesses were reported in children younger than 5, officials said. Twenty people were hospitalized. No deaths were reported.

An outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections originated in Flathead County, MT, and was traced to wagyu beef. Twenty-two patients were identified by public health officials with the Flathead City-County Health Department and the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. 

All of the outbreak patients reported eating undercooked or made-to-order burgers made with wagyu beef at one of multiple restaurants in Flathead County. Two individuals died after exposure to wagyu beef consumed at various restaurants.

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Source: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2025/01/foodborne-illness-outbreaks-overlap-from-2024-into-2025/