2011 United States listeriosis outbreak

Disease outbreak in the United States January 2018 July 2026 2011 United States listeriosis outbreak Cucumis melo var. reticulatus (photo by Scott Bauer).jpg The outbreak was from cantaloupes from Colorado. United States July 31, 2011 – August 27, 2012 33 confirmedhttps://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/listeria/outbreaks/cantaloupes-jensen-farms/map.html Multistate Outbreak of Listeriosis Linked to Whole Cantaloupes from Jensen Farms, Colorado (Final update) Listeriosis (Listeria infection) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention October 28, 2025 147 cases confirmed The 2011 United States listeriosis outbreak was a widespread outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes food poisoning across 28 US states that resulted from contaminated cantaloupes linked to Jensen Farms of Holly, Colorado. As of the final report on August 27, 2012, there were 33 deaths and 147 total confirmed cases since the beginning of the first recorded case on July 31, 2011.https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/cantaloupes-jensen-farms/index.html Multistate Outbreak of Listeriosis Linked to Whole Cantaloupes from Jensen Farms, Colorado Listeria CDC en-us 2018-04-27 May 7, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180507194042/https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/cantaloupes-jensen-farms/index.html live It was the worst foodborne illness outbreak in the United States, measured by the number of deaths, since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began tracking outbreaks in the 1970s, or tied with the worst, an outbreak of Listeria from cheese in 1985, depending on which CDC report is used.JANE E. ALLEN https://abcnews.go.com/Health/Health/cantaloupes-tied-deadliest-food-outbreak/story?id=14874373 Tainted Cantaloupes Behind Deadliest Food-Borne Outbreak ABC News Medical Unit Nov 3, 2011 Nov 4, 2011 November 4, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20111104020902/http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Health/cantaloupes-tied-deadliest-food-outbreak/story?id=14874373 live Eric and Ryan Jensen, the brothers who owned Jensen Farms, later pleaded guilty to federal misdemeanor charges related to the outbreak and were sentenced to probation and home detention, in one of the few instances of criminal prosecution stemming from a foodborne illness outbreak in the United States. Origin and spread left|150px|thumb|Listeria monocytogenes, the bacterium responsible for listeriosis Listeriosis is an infection caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The outbreak was determined to originate from Jensen Farms in Holly, Colorado after Listeria monocytogenes was found in cantaloupe samples at a Jensen Farms store in Denver, Colorado and at the farm's packaging plant. The batch of cantaloupes had been shipped out over a period from July 29 through September 10 to twenty-five states, including Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming.Listeria-cantaloupe-linked deaths rise to 16 Staff writer Staff writer https://www.cbsnews.com/news/listeria-cantaloupe-linked-deaths-rise-to-16/ CBS News September 27, 2011 September 27, 2011 September 28, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110928085834/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/09/27/health/main20112512.shtml live The outbreak was first reported by the Centers for Disease Control on September 12, where they stated that "fifteen people in four states had been infected".Cantaloupe-related outbreak of illness linked to 13 deaths Staff writer Staff writer https://edition.cnn.com/2011/09/27/health/cantaloupe-deaths/ CNN September 28, 2011 September 27, 2011 July 29, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140729031227/http://edition.cnn.com/2011/09/27/health/cantaloupe-deaths/ live On September 21, a new report was released by the CDC, bringing the number of deaths to 13 and the number of confirmed cases to 72. The report also stated that further deaths were being investigated to determine if they had also been caused by Listeria infection. The CDC report also stated that, as Listeria "only sickens the elderly, pregnant women and others with compromised immune systems", the median age of all the people that had been infected was 78.Cantaloupe outbreak is deadliest in a decade Staff writer Staff writer http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/safety/story/2011-09-27/Cantaloupe-outbreak-could-be-deadliest-in-a-decade/50572084/1 USA Today September 28, 2011 September 28, 2011 October 18, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20111018084126/http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/safety/story/2011-09-27/Cantaloupe-outbreak-could-be-deadliest-in-a-decade/50572084/1 dead On September 30, an update was released by the CDC, reporting that as of 11 am (EDT) Sep 29, 2011 the number of confirmed cases was 84, number of deaths was 15 and the number of states involved was 19.Listeriosis toll rises to 15 dead, 84 sickened Elizabeth Weise http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/safety/story/2011-09-30/Listeriosis-toll-rises-to-15-dead-84-sickened/50619282/1 USA Today September 30, 2011 September 30, 2011 October 2, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20111002080506/http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/safety/story/2011-09-30/Listeriosis-toll-rises-to-15-dead-84-sickened/50619282/1 dead On October 4, the CDC updated their report to 100 infected individuals in 20 states and a total of 18 deaths from the outbreak.Health officials say listeria in cantaloupe is linked to 18 deaths in 8 states Staff writer Staff writer https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/health-officials-say-listeria-in-cantaloupe-is-linked-to-18-deaths-in-8-states/2011/10/04/gIQAmeueLL_story.html The Washington Post October 4, 2011 October 7, 2011June 2021 medic yesmedic The outbreak was shown to have continued to spread to new states, with the CDC update on October 7 stating that the number of cases had risen to 109 in 23 states and that three more people had died to bring the death toll to 21.Death toll in listeriosis outbreak now at 21 Elizabeth Weise http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/safety/story/2011-10-07/Death-toll-in-listeriosis-outbreak-now-at-21/50690402/1 USA Today October 7, 2011 October 7, 2011 October 13, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20111013205140/http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/safety/story/2011-10-07/Death-toll-in-listeriosis-outbreak-now-at-21/50690402/1 dead The CDC update on October 12 put the number of cases at 116 with 23 deaths.October 10, 2011 Listeria Deaths Confirmed In Louisiana Too http://www.rttnews.com/Content/BiotechStory.aspx?Id=1730937&Category=FDARecall live https://web.archive.org/web/20111219223621/http://www.rttnews.com//Content/BiotechStory.aspx?Id=1730937&Category=FDARecall December 19, 2011 October 11, 2011 RTT NewsCantaloupe listeria toll continues to rise: 116 sick, 23 dead JoNel Aleccia http://vitals.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/10/12/8290982-cantaloupe-listeria-toll-continues-to-rise-116-sick-23-dead MSNBC October 13, 2011 October 13, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20111015111409/http://vitals.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/10/12/8290982-cantaloupe-listeria-toll-continues-to-rise-116-sick-23-dead October 15, 2011 dead mdy-all An update on October 18 increased the number of cases to 123 and the number of deaths to 25.FDA, CDC Give Listeria Outbreak Update Roseanne Harper http://supermarketnews.com/news/listeria_outbreak_1019/ Supermarket News October 19, 2011 October 21, 2011 October 23, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20111023160149/http://supermarketnews.com/news/listeria_outbreak_1019/ live The October 25 update raised the number of cases to 133, with three more people dying to raise the total to 28.28 now dead in listeria outbreak in cantaloupe Staff writer Staff writer http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-28-now-dead-in-listeria-outbreak-in-cantaloupe-20111025,0,3523380.story Chicago Tribune October 25, 2011 October 25, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20111026011420/http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-28-now-dead-in-listeria-outbreak-in-cantaloupe-20111025,0,3523380.story October 26, 2011 dead A final update on August 27 confirmed 147 cases and 33 deaths. Fatalities occurred in Colorado (9), Indiana (1), Kansas (3), Louisiana (2), Maryland (1), Missouri (3), Montana (1) Nebraska (1), New Mexico (5), New York (2), Oklahoma (1), Texas (2), and Wyoming (2). Among persons who died, ages ranged from <1 to 96 years, with a median age of 78 years. In addition, one woman pregnant at the time of illness had a miscarriage. Listeria infections can cause pregnant women to miscarry; the first miscarriage attributed to the 2011 outbreak was reported in early October, in a woman living in Iowa. Pregnant women often are advised to avoid foods, such as unpasteurized cheese and hot dogs, that are known to have the potential to carry Listeria, but fruits such as cantaloupe had not previously been identified as sources of concern.Woman's miscarriage blamed on listeria-tainted cantaloupe JoNel Aleccia http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44790290/ns/health-food_safety/ https://web.archive.org/web/20111007044453/http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44790290/ns/health-food_safety/ dead October 7, 2011 MSNBC October 5, 2011 October 13, 2011 No list of retailers selling the infected cantaloupes was released by either the government or Jensen Farms. Although the last shipment was September 10 and the fruit had a two-week shelf life, as of September 29, the number of illnesses and deaths were expected to continue rising, because the incubation period could exceed one month.Cantaloupe deaths and illnesses: CDC on ways to combat Mary Clare Jalonick https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2011/0929/Cantaloupe-deaths-and-illnesses-CDC-on-ways-to-combat The Christian Science Monitor September 29, 2011 October 7, 2011 October 4, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20111004094237/http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2011/0929/Cantaloupe-deaths-and-illnesses-CDC-on-ways-to-combat live Recalls by retailers which had sold the Jensen Farms cantaloupes included Kroger (September 15),http://www.kroger.com/services/Pages/recall_information.aspx Recall Information – Sweet Rocky Ford Cantaloupe September 15, 2011 Kroger October 7, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20111005150456/http://www.kroger.com/SERVICES/Pages/recall_information.aspx October 5, 2011 dead mdy-all Safeway (September 15),http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/safeway-recalls-jumbo-rocky-ford-cantaloupe-from-jensen-farms-sold-in-five-states-129926738.html Safeway Recalls Jumbo Rocky Ford Cantaloupe from Jensen Farms Sold in Five States PR Newswire PR Newswire September 15, 2011 Safeway October 7, 2011 June 6, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130606161732/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/safeway-recalls-jumbo-rocky-ford-cantaloupe-from-jensen-farms-sold-in-five-states-129926738.html live Aldi (September 16),In Association with Jensen Farms Recall ALDI Voluntarily Recalls Rocky Ford Cantaloupes PR Newswire 2011-09-16 https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/in-association-with-jensen-farms-recall-aldi-voluntarily-recalls-rocky-ford-cantaloupes-129970993.html 2024-07-15 and US Foods (September 16).http://www.usfoods.com/recallnotice.aspx Recall Notice – Rocky Ford Melons Recalled September 16, 2011 US Foods October 7, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110930235337/http://www.usfoods.com/RecallNotice.aspx September 30, 2011 dead mdy-all FDA investigation An investigation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found that the contaminated cantaloupe harvest contained four separate Listeria monocytogenes strains, which the governmental agency found to be "unusual", but was still trying to determine the reason. On October 20, it was reported that the FDA officials had found Listeria on dirty, corroded equipment used by Jensen Farms, which had been bought used and was previously utilized for potato farming. It was stated by the government that the "equipment's past use may have played a role in the contamination".https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2011/10/19/fda-contaminated-equipment-to-blame-for-listeria-outbreak FDA: Contaminated Equipment to Blame for Listeria Outbreak October 19, 2011 www.usnews.com 2019-07-14 May 3, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180503110858/https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2011/10/19/fda-contaminated-equipment-to-blame-for-listeria-outbreak live Water contaminated with Listeria was also found on the floor of the packing plant and it was determined that the workers moving around the plant had spread it, as the contaminated water was also found on the cantaloupe conveyor belt. It was noted by officials that Jensen Farms had "passed a food safety audit by an outside contractor" six days before the outbreak.Listeria Outbreak Traced to Cantaloupe Packing Shed Neuman https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/20/business/listeria-outbreak-traced-to-colorado-cantaloupe-packing-shed.html The New York Times October 19, 2011 October 21, 2011 June 9, 2024 https://web.archive.org/web/20240609115016/https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/20/business/listeria-outbreak-traced-to-colorado-cantaloupe-packing-shed.html live William How the Listeria bacteria first came to be in the plant remains unknown, as the soil on the farm was determined to be clear of the bacteria. It is suspected, however, that a "dump truck used to take culled melons to a cattle farm...could have brought bacteria to the facility".Lactaoen Derek FDA Announces Investigation Results from Listeria-Contaminated Cantaloupe http://blog.consumerbell.com/2011/10/19/consumer-recall-safety-fda-announces-investigation-results-from-listeria-contaminated-cantaloupe/ ConsumerBell January 17, 2012 October 24, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20111024195738/http://blog.consumerbell.com/2011/10/19/consumer-recall-safety-fda-announces-investigation-results-from-listeria-contaminated-cantaloupe/ live Furthermore, bacteria growth may have been aided by condensation stemming from the lack of a pre-cooling step to remove field heat from the cantaloupe before cold storage.https://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/CORENetwork/ucm272372.htm#report US FDA Information on the Recalled Jensen Farms Whole Cantaloupes Food and Drug Administration December 16, 2019 March 14, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130314072715/http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/CORENetwork/ucm272372.htm#report dead House Energy and Commerce Committee investigation On October 21, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, a committee panel of the United States House of Representatives, began its own investigation into the outbreak. The Committee "requested a staff briefing from Jensen Farms" and all of the documents they had on the incident. They also requested information from the FDA, CDC, and other governmental groups.House panel probes listeria-tainted cantaloupes Muskal http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/10/house-panel-probes-listeria-tainted-cantaloupes-.html Los Angeles Times October 21, 2011 October 23, 2011 October 22, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20111022120903/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/10/house-panel-probes-listeria-tainted-cantaloupes-.html live Michael Jensen Farms response In response to the initial reports by the CDC on the contaminated cantaloupe, Jensen Farms issued a voluntary recall on September 15 of the entire harvest crop of 300,000 cantaloupe that it had distributed to its chain stores. The FDA made the public announcement for the recall after Listeria infection was confirmed by Jensen Farms at its main Colorado branch.Listeria Recall: Cantaloupes From Colorado Farm Pulled From Shelves Francis https://abcnews.go.com/Health/Food/listeria-recall-cantaloupes-colorado-farm-pulled-shelves-company/story?id=14528532 ABC News September 15, 2011 September 28, 2011 September 29, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110929014817/http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Food/listeria-recall-cantaloupes-colorado-farm-pulled-shelves-company/story?id=14528532 live Enjoli Jensen Farms was also forced to temporarily shut down its processing plant while the recall was ongoing. Government officials have been investigating the company's main facility in Colorado to determine if there was "animal or water contamination", but there have been no results from the investigation thus far.CDC: Cantaloupe Listeria Outbreak Deadliest in a Decade Caron https://abcnews.go.com/Health/cdc-listeria-outbreak-deadliest-decade/story?id=14622507 ABC News September 28, 2011 September 28, 2011 September 30, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110930052054/http://abcnews.go.com/Health/cdc-listeria-outbreak-deadliest-decade/story?id=14622507 live Christina Holly, Colorado residents were described as being left "reeling and in fear" because of the disaster for its local producer.Banda P. Solomon Fear in Colo. town at heart of listeria outbreak NBC News 2011-09-30 https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fear-colo-town-heart-listeria-outbreak-flna1c9454583 2024-07-15 Political responses The FDA has stated in response to the extensive bacterial outbreak that it is "yet another reason to fully implement the Food Safety Modernization Act." Sherri McGarry, a senior adviser for the FDA, stated that, "We're going to take these lessons learned, share that with our partners and industries, CDC and the states, and what we want to do is we want to really prevent this from happening in the future." Also, in response to an auditor passing Jensen Farms food safety methods and failing to notice the Listeria bacteria in the plant, the deputy commissioner of foods, Michael R. Taylor, had stated that he intended to "establish standards for how auditors should be trained and how audits should be conducted." Criminal Prosecution and Sentencing Criminal prosecution in connection with foodborne illness outbreaks is uncommon2014-01-29 Farmers in Cantaloupe Outbreak Sentenced to Probation, House Arrest, Fines https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2014/01/farmers-in-cantaloupe-listeria-outbreak-sentenced-to-probation-house-arrest-fines/ 2026-09-27 Food Safety News en; most cases are resolved through civil litigation, regulatory action, or FDA/USDA recalls rather than criminal charges against individuals. The Jensen Farms case was notable for pursuing personal criminal liability against the farm's owners under the "responsible corporate officer" doctrine (derived from the 1975 Supreme Court case United States v. Park), which allows individuals in positions of authority to be held criminally liable for food safety violations under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act without proof of intent or personal negligence.admin 2016-11-21 A Brave New Food Enforcement World https://www.fdli.org/2016/11/brave-new-food-enforcement-world/ 2026-09-27 Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) en-US In September 2013, federal prosecutors charged Eric and Ryan Jensen, the brothers who owned and operated Jensen Farms, with six counts of introducing adulterated food into interstate commerce. They pleaded guilty in October 2013 to misdemeanor versions of the charges, each facing a maximum of six years in prison and $1.5 million in fines. In January 2014, U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Hegarty sentenced the brothers to five years of probation, six months of home detention, 100 hours of community service, and $150,000 each in restitution to victims' families. Prosecutors recommended against prison time, citing the brothers' cooperation with investigators; some victims' relatives criticized the sentence as too lenient. The case is frequently cited by legal scholars and food-safety commentators as a rare instance of individual criminal accountability for a foodborne illness outbreak, and contributed to subsequent regulatory reforms shifting federal food-safety enforcement toward contamination prevention. Lawsuit On September 15, a lawsuit was filed against Jensen Farms by the first person affected by the contaminated cantaloupe crop, who had fallen ill and been kept in the hospital for several weeks. He and his wife were involved in the legal proceedings.Exclusive: Jensen Farms React To Lawsuit, Recall Stanley Nguyen http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/29191856/detail.html 7NEWS September 15, 2011 September 28, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20111031044859/http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/29191856/detail.html October 31, 2011 dead mdy-all Deb Kim In addition to Jensen Farms, the couple also sued a Walmart branch in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where they had bought the cantaloupe, for selling unsafe food.Man sues Colo. farm, Walmart over cantaloupe Listeria Jon Bowman http://www.kdvr.com/news/kdvr-colo-farm-walmart-sued-over-cantaloupe-listeria-20110915,0,5101456.story dead https://web.archive.org/web/20111114095510/http://www.kdvr.com/news/kdvr-colo-farm-walmart-sued-over-cantaloupe-listeria-20110915%2C0%2C5101456.story November 14, 2011 KDVR September 15, 2011 October 7, 2011 See also 1985 United States salmonellosis outbreak 1992–1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak 2008 United States salmonellosis outbreak List of foodborne illness outbreaks References External links Information on listeria from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Information on listeriosis outbreaks from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Consumer Safety Information on the Recalled Whole Cantaloupes by Jensen Farms from FDA Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation Network expanded Category:2011 disease outbreaks Category:2011 disasters in the United States Category:2011 in Colorado Category:Cantaloupe Category:Foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States Category:Health in Colorado Category:Prowers County, Colorado Category:Disasters in Colorado Category:Listeriosis outbreaks