Poisoned

Poisoned

From Criminal by Vox Media Podcast Network

May 1, 2026 · 39 min · Episode 363

About this episode

The episode discusses a 1993 E. coli outbreak linked to Jack in the Box that affected many children.

In January 1993, a lot of children started showing up at Seattle Children’s Hospital with the same unusual symptoms. Doctors didn't know what was going on – until they realized that most of the children had recently eaten at the same restaurant: Jack in the Box. Jeff Benedict’s book is Poisoned: The True Story of the Deadly E. coli Outbreak That Changed the Way Americans Eat. Say hello on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Sign up for our occasional newsletter. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts. Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, invitations to virtual events, special merch deals, and more. We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery. Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop. Episode transcripts are posted on our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Topics covered

  • E. coli outbreak
  • food safety
  • children's health
  • restaurant incidents
  • public health

Keywords

  • E. coli
  • outbreak
  • Jack in the Box
  • Seattle Children's Hospital
  • foodborne illness

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Vox Media Podcast Network, Jack in the Box

Books & works: Poisoned: The True Story of the Deadly E. coli Outbreak That Changed the Way Americans Eat

Places: Seattle

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