With 109 sickened and 21 deaths, the Jensen Farms Frontera Listeria Outbreakis now  tied as the second-most deadly foodborne illness outbreak in the United States.  The numbers of ill and dead are expected to increase in this recent listeria outbreak, which has impacted 24 states.

Here is a list of not the largest, but the deadliest outbreaks in the U.S.:

Jalisco’s Listeria Outbreak

January 1985

Vehicle: cheese

Number ill: 142

Deaths: 29

Bil Mar Foods Ready-to-eat Meats Listeria Outbreak

January 1998

Vehicle: deli and cured meats

Number ill: 101

Deaths: 21

Jensen Farms Frontera Listeria Outbreak

September 2011 – ONGOING

Vehicle: whole cantaloupe

Number ill: 109

Deaths: 21

Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) Salmonella Outbreak

September 2008

Vehicle:  Peanuts and peanut butter

Number ill: 716

Deaths: 9

Pilgrim’s Pride Listeria Outbreak

July 2002

Vehicle: deli meats

Number ill: 54

Deaths: 8

Dole Brand Natural Selections Bagged Spinach E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak

August 2006

Vehicle: spinach

Number ill: 238

Deaths: 5

SanGar Produce Listeria Outbreak

January 2010

Vehicle: celery

Number ill: 10

Deaths: 5

Jack in the Box E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak

November 1992

Vehicle: ground beef

Number ill: 708

Deaths: 4

Chi-Chi’s Hepatitis A Outbreak

October 2003

Vehicle: green onions

Number ill: 660

Deaths: 4

Thanks to www.outbreakdatabase.com.