1996 Odwalla E. coli outbreak
| 1996 Odwalla E. coli outbreak | |
|---|---|
| Bacteria strain | Escherichia coli O157:H7 |
| Source | Contaminated apple juice sold by Odwalla Inc. |
| Location | United States |
| First outbreak | Washington state |
| First reported | October 30, 1996 |
| Date | October 7 – November 5, 1996 |
| Confirmed cases | 70 |
Deaths | 1 |
The 1996 Odwalla E. coli outbreak began on October 7, 1996, when American food company Odwalla produced a batch of unpasteurized apple juice using blemished fruit contaminated with the E. coli bacterium, which ultimately killed a 16-month-old girl and sickened 70 people in California, Colorado, Washington state, and British Columbia, of whom 25 were hospitalized and 14 developed hemolytic uremic syndrome. Odwalla made and marketed unpasteurized fruit juices for the health segment of the juice market.