About E. coli

Your information source for E. coli, sponsored by Marler Clark

Odwalla E. coli Outbreak

In 1996, Odwalla apple juice was discovered to be the source of an E. coli outbreak. Several children developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) after consuming the tainted juice, and were forced to undergo kidney dialysis.

Bill Marler and Denis Stearns represented the families of the most severely injured children in this outbreak.

Two months before an E. coli outbreak was linked to Odwalla apple juice, several Seattle families became ill with E. coli infections. All victims tested positive for genetically identical strains of E. coli.

Although at the time apple juice was not considered a possible source of contamination, after the larger outbreak was discovered, epidemiologists reviewed the earlier cases, and it was determined that Odwalla apple juice was the most likely cause of the earlier outbreak.