As a widespread Cyclospora outbreak continues to affect consumers across multiple states, food safety experts are offering practical advice on how to navigate the risks without abandoning fresh produce altogether. The outbreak, which has been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell and traced to Taylor Farms de Mexico, has caused at least 1,644 illnesses and 94 hospitalizations across five states as of July 21. Recalled products have been distributed to 27 states, and public health agencies are still investigating potential additional sources.
Despite the scale of the outbreak, experts emphasize that panic is unnecessary. Instead, they recommend a measured approach that focuses on understanding the specific risks associated with recalled products rather than avoiding entire food categories. Donald Schaffner, a professor of food microbiology at Rutgers University, says he has not changed his eating habits at all. “I had a salad last night and the night before, and I’ll have a salad tonight,” he says. Schaffner advises consumers to pay attention to active recalls and avoid only those products that have been specifically identified as contaminated.
Barbara Kowalcyk, director of the Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition Security at George Washington University, agrees that blanket avoidance of lettuce is not the answer. She encourages people to assess their own health status when making decisions about food. Kowalcyk, who is healthy and not immunocompromised, feels comfortable ordering salads at restaurants even though they are likely made with bagged lettuce. However, she notes that the risk calculation is different for young children, pregnant women, older adults, and anyone with a weakened immune system, all of whom are more vulnerable to serious foodborne illness.
Frank Yiannas, former deputy commissioner for food policy and response at the FDA and author ofFood Safety Culture: Creating a Behavior-Based Food Safety Management System, takes a similar approach. He avoids products that regulators have specifically identified or recalled but does not shun entire food groups. “I’m still a big fan of eating fresh fruits and vegetables,” he says, adding that he has eaten romaine salad two days in a row. Yiannas points out that Americans safely consume more than 150 million servings of leafy greens every day, which helps put outbreaks in perspective.
Some experts have changed their grocery shopping habits over the years to take more control over their lettuce. Bill Marler, an attorney who specializes in food safety cases and represents several people suing over the current Cyclospora outbreak, stopped buying prepared salads years ago. “I’m not a fan of bagged or boxed salads or pre-made kits,” he says, explaining that these products often contain greens from multiple sources. “You’re ceding responsibility to somebody else in a large factory.” Instead, Marler buys whole heads of lettuce, removes the outer leaves, and washes the rest himself under running water. This tactic is also recommended by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the state most affected by the outbreak.
Marler recalls the 2006 E. coli outbreak linked to bagged spinach, when contamination believed to have originated from wild pigs spread after spinach from across a field was harvested, chopped, washed, and packaged together. The pigs “didn’t poop on everything,” he says, but once the leaves were mixed, what might have remained a localized problem became a nationwide outbreak. “Convenience just isn’t worth the risk,” he concludes.
Kowalcyk has reached a similar conclusion. She also buys whole heads of lettuce, washes them thoroughly under running water, and discards any bruised or damaged outer leaves before eating the rest. Broken leaves are more vulnerable because “that’s how the bacteria gets inside,” she explains.
For some experts, even “pre-washed” labels are not sufficient. Gerardo Lopez, a food safety professor at the University of Arizona, still rinses bagged greens before serving them. “Just because something says pre-washed doesn’t mean [it’s safe],” he says, noting the potential for cross-contamination. At home, he rinses leafy greens thoroughly under running water in a colander before serving them.
The outbreak has also reinforced the importance of knowing where produce comes from. Darin Detwiler, an associate teaching professor of food policy at Northeastern University and author ofFood Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions, pays close attention to the origin of his produce. At farmers markets, he asks two questions before buying: Where was this grown? And how recently was it harvested? If a vendor tells him the produce came from a wholesaler or middleman instead of a nearby farm, he keeps walking. Detwiler encourages consumers to look beyond the brand name on the front of a package because it is not always the company that actually grew the produce. During this outbreak, many people assumed they were unaffected because they did not eat at Taco Bell, but the recalled products were distributed widely through other channels as well.
Public health officials continue to investigate the outbreak, and consumers are urged to stay informed about recalls and to follow basic food safety practices. While the Cyclospora parasite can cause prolonged gastrointestinal illness, experts stress that with careful attention to sourcing and preparation, the risk can be managed without eliminating fresh produce from the diet.