PoliticsAugust 8, 2026
coli
EE-KO-lye
Definition
A common type of bacterium, some strains of which cause serious food poisoning in humans when food or water is contaminated.
Etymology
Derived from the scientific name Escherichia coli; named after the German pediatrician Theodor Escherich, who discovered the bacterium in 1885, with 'coli' referring to its natural habitat in the colon.
In the news
The article uses the term in the context of foodborne illness outbreaks, noting that the parasite-like bacteria contaminated frozen blueberries and caused consumer illness.
Fear of lettuce is making RFK Jr.'s food messaging harder for consumers to swallow
Read the full article ↗politico.com