Europe's E. coli crisis: Could it happen in America?

EU officials are struggling to contain a massive outbreak of the deadly bacteria, and, some worry, the U.S. wouldn't be able to handle it any better

While German authorities continue to investigate the source of a deadly E. coli outbreak, some Americans worry the same thing could happen stateside.
(Image credit: JORGE GUERRERO/XinHua/Xinhua Press/Corbis)

At least 22 people have been killed, and thousands more infected, by a virulent strain of E. coli that's sweeping through Europe, in what's being called the "deadliest E. coli outbreak in modern history." The outbreak is a result of a particularly toxic strain of the bacteria, and German and European Union officials have yet to pinpoint its source — though cucumbers and organic sprouts farms have been suspected. Could something like this happen in America?

Be afraid, America: "Could this happen here?" asks Marion Nestle in The Atlantic. "You bet." This is exactly why we need to give the FDA more resources and more authority to implement food safety measures. Instead, Congress badly wants to cut the FDA's budget and weaken the agency. But this outbreak clearly shows that we need to do the opposite to keep Americans safe.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us