In the last half of 2024 alone, E. coli has been found in ground beef, carrots, onions, walnuts and cheese, causing at least 186 illnesses, one death and several recalls, reports Sentient Health. UTMB’s Dr. Alfredo Torres tells Sentient Health that E. coli lives in many places, but the “Big Six” subtypes that sicken humans are all found primarily in the bodies of cattle. “So when [the cows defecate], the fecal matter is contaminated with this organism, and anything that gets in contact with the manure, or water contaminated with the fecal matter, can get contaminated with the bacteria,” Torres said. This story was also published in The Good Men Project.