Public health officials in California’s Humboldt County have suspended an investigation into five related E. coli illnesses because they do not have enough evidence to determine a common food source, according to the Eureka Times-Standard. The particular strain of E. coli O157:H7 affecting the patients had not been found in any other cases in California. Those affected also fell ill over a relatively long period between July and October. Four of the five cases developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a potentially fatal kidney disease associated with severe E. coli infections. One of those patients was Humboldt County Supervisor Estelle Fennell, who told the Times-Standard she was hospitalized for three weeks. Each of the patients reported eating leafy greens before falling ill, but investigators could not trace those claims back to a single source.
The News Desk team at Food Safety News covers breaking developments, regulatory updates, recalls, and key topics shaping food safety today. These articles are produced collaboratively by our editorial staff.
This is part 1 of a 3-part series.
An unlicensed meat producer and poor hygiene at a restaurant played a role in a Salmonella outbreak in an Australian state,
Almost 500 people were sick in a major E. coli outbreak in Germany in 2025, according to recently released figures from a regional State Office for Health and Social Affairs.
The root cause of a large E. coli outbreak in the United Kingdom in 2024 remains unknown with authorities warning a re-emergence is possible.
Almost 300 people fell ill
The Food and Drug Administration uses import alerts to enforce U.S. food safety regulations for food from foreign countries. The agency updates and modifies the alerts as needed.
Recent
G. L. Mezzetta Inc. is recalling Mezzetta Golden Greek Peperoncini Medium Heat, 32-ounce because of a consumer complaint about a dead mouse in a jar.
The company has contacted
As part of its enforcement activities, the Food and Drug Administration sends warning letters to entities under its jurisdiction. Some letters are not posted for public view until weeks or
