Consumers Advised to Avoid Bagged Salads Amid Rising Cyclospora Cases

Consumer Warning on Bagged Salads

Susan Mayne, a distinguished epidemiologist at Yale School of Public Health and former leader of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, has issued a warning to consumers regarding bagged salads. During an interview with CBS News, she urged caution as cyclospora infections surge across the nation, pointing out the ease with which contamination can spread in prepackaged leafy greens.

The advisory is timely, aligning with an ongoing probe into a large multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak, a digestive illness triggered by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. Often linked to fresh produce, this parasite causes symptoms like severe diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fatigue.

Current Outbreak Situation

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 4,173 confirmed cyclosporiasis cases in the U.S. since May, along with 7,400 unconfirmed cases. States often report higher numbers due to a combination of confirmed and probable cases, with Michigan reporting 8,176 cases alone.

Federal investigations linked an outbreak of 1,947 illnesses in nine states to Taylor Farms shredded iceberg lettuce. Despite no confirmed positive cyclospora tests, Taylor Farms has removed potentially affected products as a precaution and halted lettuce sourcing from central Mexico.

Taylor Farms’ Response

A spokesperson for Taylor Farms stated their commitment to food safety, investing over $200 million annually in prevention protocols. Following questions about the cyclospora outbreak, the company broadened its recall of iceberg lettuce sourced from the implicated region and stopped production at its central Mexico facility for safety evaluations.

Ongoing Investigations

The FDA is examining another cyclospora outbreak, yet to be traced to a specific product, with lettuce, parsley, and cilantro among the top suspects. Despite Taylor Farms’ corrective actions, Mayne advised avoiding bagged salads due to the potential for contamination to spread widely in them.

Food Safety Concerns

This outbreak has intensified scrutiny on the federal monitoring of foodborne illnesses. Mayne noted underfunding of U.S. food safety efforts for decades, with cuts to vital surveillance programs like FoodNet which tracks food poisoning cases.

Understanding Cyclospora

Cyclospora, a microscopic parasite, causes cyclosporiasis after consuming contaminated produce or water. Infections arise when produce is exposed to fecal contamination, often from inadequate sanitary facilities.

Symptoms include severe diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, and fatigue. They may appear up to two weeks post-exposure and persist for weeks without treatment. Transmission does not occur directly person to person, complicating containment efforts.

Doctors treat cyclospora infections with the antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, with most patients recovering fully despite the risk of severe dehydration and prolonged illness in susceptible individuals.