Odwalla recalled products in 1996 after an E. coli outbreak linked to its unpasteurized apple juice.
The outbreak was associated with Odwalla's unpasteurized apple juice and apple juice products. Escherichia coli O157:H7 was traced to apples used in production, and contaminated juice sickened dozens of people, particularly children. One child died after developing hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious complication of infection.
Before the outbreak, Odwalla marketed fresh, minimally processed juices partly because they retained a raw character. Afterward, the company changed its production methods, including introducing pasteurization and improving safety controls. The recall became an important example of the risks associated with untreated juice.
Unpasteurized juice is not automatically contaminated, but it has not undergone the heat treatment designed to kill harmful bacteria. That distinction is why juice safety guidance often treats raw juice differently from pasteurized products.