Hepatitis E virus (HEV) causes sporadic cases in industrialized countries and endemic outbreaks in areas with lower sanitation standards. The wide host reservoir of HEV makes it a potential source of new zoonotic transmission and dissemination in humans. Thus, the perception of HEV as a confined ailment has shifted to one of global concern. Considering HEV's environmental stability and heterogeneity in the host range of HEV's genotypes, various transmission pathways and sources for HEV infections are plausible. Here, we provide an overview on HEV's transmission routes and discuss the role of HEV as a foodborne zoonosis, as well as preventive measures and open research questions.