January 1993
Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak (1993)
Undercooked burgers tainted with E. coli sickened more than 700 people across several western states and killed four children. The chain's meat suppliers had not tested for the pathogen.
Then
The outbreak forced the U.S. Department of Agriculture to declare E. coli an adulterant in ground beef and overhaul its inspection approach.
Now
It pushed the meat industry toward pathogen testing and helped bring in preventive food safety rules nationwide.
Why this matters now
The case explains why governments inspect food businesses before and during service — the same consumer-safety logic behind New York's pre-permit inspection of A Lo Mexa Guatelinda.