Wait—Is Cyclospora Over? Here’s Whether You Can Finally Eat Your Leafy Greens Again Without Worrying
I can’t speak for you, but I am ready for our Summer of Foodborne Illness to be over. Doesn’t it seem like there’s a new recall every other day? Jalapeños and eggs have salmonella. Blueberries have E. coli. And, of course, bags of lettuce (and cilantro and parsley) have cyclospora.
As of Aug. 18, more than 15,000 people have been officially sickened, and two people have died since the cyclospora outbreak began. The outbreak was linked to Taylor Farms’ iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico, and the company issued a voluntary recall on July 17. Since then, we’ve all been riveted to the news to learn just when the summer cyclospora season will finally draw to a merciful close.
Well, we’re almost to the end of August. Does that mean the coast is clear? Can we officially rip into a bag of fresh lettuce or ask the Taco Bell chef to pile on the shreds? Ahead, I’m digging into the latest news about the seemingly never-ending cyclospora outbreak. Read on to learn more.
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Is the cyclospora outbreak officially over?
I hesitate to say it’s over over, because the CDC is still investigating cyclospora outbreaks around the country, including two with unknown sources. These outbreaks are considered “ongoing.”
But as far as the recalled iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms is concerned, the CDC and the company confirm that the expiration dates on all recalled products have passed. That means you should not find any of the recalled lettuce on store shelves or served to you in a restaurant.
You may continue to hear about new cases of cyclosporiasis, however, because of reporting delays between illness onset and the CDC learning about the case. The typical lag time is about six weeks.
Are cases still being reported?
Yes. As of the latest CDC update, which came out on Aug. 18, cases are still being added to the total tally of cyclosporiasis illnesses, which stands at 15,716 laboratory-confirmed cases. About 11,841 additional illnesses have yet to be confirmed by lab tests. There have been 828 hospitalizations and two deaths.
The typical cyclospora season (yes, that’s a thing) runs from May 1 through Aug. 31, so we can expect more cases as that six-week lag time runs its course.
Should you still take precautions when washing produce?
Yes, always. Most of the time, thoroughly washing leafy greens and other fruits and veggies is the No. 1 thing you can do to stay safe.
There’s one caveat, and that’s cyclospora and other parasites. Unfortunately, they don’t wash off. You have to cook produce to 158 degrees Fahrenheit to reduce your risk of getting sick. That’s fine if you’re boiling green beans, but for iceberg lettuce? No thanks. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to recalls so you can discard produce that’s been implicated.
For other produce that’s not involved in an outbreak, run it under cool running water and scrub with your hands or a produce brush to reduce (but not eliminate) your risk of foodborne illness. Always wash your hands and utensils, and discard outer leaves so you don’t contaminate your cutting surfaces.
Is it our imagination, or has there been a huge uptick in foodborne illnesses lately?
It’s not you. From May 1 through mid-August, 15,716 cases of cyclosporiasis were reported to the CDC. That’s more than 10 times the number from last year, when just under 1,200 cases were reported between May 1 and Aug. 31, 2025. We’ve also seen outbreaks and recalls involving salmonella, listeria, E. coli and botulism. According to CNN, we haven’t had such a busy foodborne illness season in at least five years.
Experts pin the blame on a combination of factors. One is a particularly hot summer, which provides ideal conditions for microorganisms to thrive. The other is budget cuts. Under the Trump administration, the CDC has lost 25% of its staff, and the FDA about 20%, according to CBS News.
Susan Mayne, who ran the food-safety department of the FDA from 2015 to 2023 and is now an adjunct professor at the Yale School of Public Health, told CBS News that the country used to have a national advisory committee to help prevent microbial contamination in food. “That advisory committee was disbanded,” Mayne said. “We used to convene meetings with our Mexican counterparts on how we can work together to improve food safety. That entire team was let go.”
These cuts aren’t just general budget trimming either. They directly impact the tracking of food parasites like cyclospora. FoodNet, an early-warning surveillance program jointly operated by the FDA, the CDC and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, scaled back from tracking eight microbes to just two. And you guessed it: Cyclospora didn’t make the cut.
Sources:
- CDC: “Surveillance of Cyclosporiasis”
- CDC: “Investigations of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks”
- CDC: “FoodNet”
- CBS News: “How Trump admin cuts have compromised food safety”
- CNN: “It’s not just a gut feeling: Foodborne illness outbreaks are especially bad this summer”
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