Behind the Headlines: Riley Detwiler

September is National Food Safety Education Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about safe practices that prevent foodborne illness. Food safety must be framed by more than data and statistics and estimates.  Behind these are real people, real families and, in too many cases, chairs forever empty at family tables.

This brief video may reflect the brevity of the life of Riley Detwiler, but his impact on the decades of food safety advancement and culture ever since his death is immeasurable.  Riley was born on September 18, 1991, and would be 34 in 2025.  His legacy is forever tied to the landmark, 1993 Jack in the Box E.coli outbreak that reshaped food safety standards in the United States. His death became a powerful symbol in the national reckoning over corporate responsibility and public health protections.  This video is a compilation of found media work that sheds light on Riley’s story.

Watch now: “Riley Detwiler Background” [5:16]

#FoodSafetyMonth #JackintheBox #USDA #1993 #Hero #Legacy #FoodSafetyCulture #NotAllHeroesWearCapes