Cyclospora outbreak surges. Here's how to lower infection risk
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The growing Cyclospora outbreak is raising questions about produce safety and whether washing fruits and vegetables is enough to prevent infection.
Why it matters: Cyclosporiasis can cause severe diarrhea, and experts say washing produce may reduce — but not eliminate — the risk of infection.
- Health officials say consumers should follow the some of the same basic food safety practices recommended to reduce the risk of Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria contamination — including avoiding bagged and precut produce for now and thoroughly washing fresh fruits and vegetables.
Read more below.
Why the Cyclospora outbreak is spreading
The Cyclospora cayetanensis parasite is normally found in human waste and feces. It spreads when contaminated water is used to grow, clean or wash produce.
- The disease often reaches its peak during the summer months, with thousands of cases every year.
- Spread from human to human is unlikely, the CDC says. This is because the parasite's eggs — called oocysts — must live outside a person's body for one to two weeks to become infectious.
What foods should you avoid during the Cyclospora outbreak?
Driving the news: Health officials and investigators pointed to fresh produce as the main culprit, potentially including products from Taylor Farms, which are sold at Taco Bell.
- The Food and Drug Administration said Monday it still thinks Taylor Farms lettuce is likely behind a Cyclospora outbreak, even after pulling back earlier test results linking the produce to the parasite.
Experts generally suggest avoiding bagged salads and produce until the main source is identified.
What they're saying: "The foods most commonly implicated ... are widely consumed, mixed into salads and dishes, and have short shelf lives," Steven Goldberg, chief medical officer at HealthTrack, tells Axios.
How to clean and wash your vegetables
Even if produce is labeled "prewashed" or "triple washed," some experts say consumers may want to rinse it again during the current Cyclospora outbreak.
- The CDC and FDA generally suggest Americans follow basic food safety habits to protect themselves from the parasitic disease.
How it works: According to the FDA, the most effective way to wash your fruits and veggies is to:
- Wash your hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds.
- Cut away any damaged or bruised areas of the food.
- Rinse produce before peeling.
- Rub produce under running water.
- For harder produce like melons and cucumbers, use a clean vegetable brush.
- Dry produce with a clean cloth or paper towel.
- For lettuce and cabbage, remove the outermost leaves
Other health experts tell Axios that people can clean their vegetables and fruits with vinegar, baking soda or, in some cases, bleach to destroy the parasite.
Why cleaning might not stop the outbreak
Reality check: Research suggests that washing produce can reduce risk, but it cannot reliably remove Cyclospora because the parasite's protective shell resists water and many sanitizers.
- "In terms of prevention, the honest reality is that there is no foolproof way for consumers to eliminate the risk at home," says Steven Goldberg, a former USDA official.
Other methods to kill the parasite
Some restaurant owners and experts suggest cooking berries into jams or pies, and lightly cooking fresh greens to eliminate risk.
- Any exposure to heat — like sautéing greens or roasting vegetables — can help kill the parasite, says Ulysses Wu, chief epidemiologist at Hartford HealthCare.
- "If you can cook the produce, that can lower the risk," Wu says. "You could boil it, roast it or prepare it in a pan. The greater concern is produce that's eaten fresh."
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