At 109 sickened with 21 deaths the Jensen Farms Frontera Listeria Outbreak has moved into a tie for second place in the United States’ most deadly foodborne illness outbreaks.  The numbers of ill and dead are expected to increase in this recent Listeria Outbreak that has impacted 24 states.  Here is a list of not the largest, but deadliest outbreaks in the U.S.:

Jalisco’s Listeria Outbreak

•          January 1985

•          Vehicle: cheese

•          Number ill: 142

•          Deaths: 29

Jensen Farms Frontera Listeria Outbreak

•          September 2011 – ONGOING

•          Vehicle: whole cantaloupe

•          Number ill: 109

•          Deaths: 21

Bil Mar Foods Ready-to-eat Meats Listeria Outbreak

•          January 1998

•          Vehicle: deli and cured meats

•          Number ill: 101

•          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.