FORM 4
[ ] Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).         
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
                                                                                  
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Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public
Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
                      

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *

JOHNSON JOEL W 		2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol

ECOLAB INC [ ECL ] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)

__ X __ Director                      _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below)      _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)          (First)          (Middle)

THE HORMEL FOUNDATION, 301 N. MAIN STREET 		3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY)

12/10/2007
(Street)

AUSTIN, MN 55912
(City)        (State)        (Zip)
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)

 
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

_ X _ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3) 		2. Trans. Date 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any 3. Trans. Code
(Instr. 8) 		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 		5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4) 		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock   12/10/2007     M    24000   A $16.156   85203.74   D    
Common Stock   12/10/2007     F (1)    7614   D $50.925   77673.220   (2) D    

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivate Security
(Instr. 3) 		2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Trans. Date 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any 4. Trans. Code
(Instr. 8) 		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date 7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 3 and 4) 		8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5) 		9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Common Stock   $16.156   (3) 12/10/2007     M        24000   (3)   5/8/1999   (3) 5/8/2008   Common Stock   24000   $0   0   D    

Explanation of Responses:
( 1)  Reflects the reporting person's payment of the exercise price for a stock option issued in accordance with Rule 16b-3 by delivering shares of Ecolab Common Stock.
( 2)  Includes 83.48 shares acquired by reporting person on October 18, 2007 by dividend reinvestment under the Dividend Reinvestment Plan for shareholders of Ecolab sponsored by Computershare Trust Company, Inc.
( 3)  Option granted under the Ecolab Inc. 1995 Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan on May 8, 1998. The option was originally reported as covering 12,000 shares at an exercise price of $32.3125 but has been adjusted to reflect a stock split on June 6, 2003. The option became exercisable, cumulatively, as to one-third of the total shares subject to the option on each of the three subsequent dates of the annual meeting of stockholders following the date of grant.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address
Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
JOHNSON JOEL W
THE HORMEL FOUNDATION
301 N. MAIN STREET
AUSTIN, MN 55912 		X



Signatures
/s/ David F. Duvick, Attorney-in-Fact for Joel W. Johnson 12/12/2007
** Signature of Reporting Person Date


Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.
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