No, You Shouldn’t Avoid Fruits and Vegetables Due to Cyclospora

Federal and state health officials are investigating an unusual spike in cases of cyclosporiasis, the illness caused by the cyclospora parasite. There were about 2,800 cases reported annually in the U.S., on average, between 2016 and 2023, but this year is bucking the trend. 

Nationwide, at least 10,468 laboratory-confirmed cyclosporiasis cases have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since May. And on Aug. 4, CDC officials said they were aware of an additional 12,255 cases that have yet to be confirmed by federal investigators. The infections, which have been reported by 47 states in total, have resulted in at least 517 hospitalizations and two deaths.

The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration have identified at least seven distinct outbreaks of cyclosporiasis so far this summer. In each of these cases, health officials have used stool sample genotyping and other techniques to show the illnesses are linked. However, no source has been identified for six out of the seven outbreaks currently under investigation.

The exception also happens to be the largest known cyclosporiasis outbreak in U.S. history, which investigators have linked to iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico. At least 6,358 people in 15 states have been sickened, according to case tallies shared by the CDC on Aug. 5. Nearly 280 people have been hospitalized, and two people have died. That’s up from 1,947 infections and 98 hospitalizations in nine states since the last update on July 24. 

The actual total number of infections is almost certainly much higher. Michigan, which has emerged as the outbreak’s epicenter, has reported 12,485 illnesses, 279 hospitalizations, and two deaths as of Aug. 6. The other states with infections linked to this outbreak are Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The implicated Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce was served at Taco Bell locations and shipped to retailers, restaurants, and food service distributors in at least 28 states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. In mid-July, Taco Bell removed the lettuce from its restaurants and Taylor Farms recalled from the U.S. market all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico.

But a series of announcements made by the FDA around the same time ultimately caused confusion about the source of the outbreak for many consumers. The day after Taylor Farms posted its recall notice, the FDA announced that an unrelated sample of Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce had tested positive for cyclospora. (This was significant because the sample tested was from a batch of lettuce that wasn’t part of the recall, which suggested the recall was likely to expand.) However, about 24 hours later, the FDA retracted its announcement and said it had determined that the previous test result was a false positive.

Some people interpreted that to mean that Taylor Farms’ lettuce was cleared. But that was not the case. The FDA clarified in a July 20 press conference that the retraction of the positive result didn’t cast doubt on the link between the recalled Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce and the ongoing outbreak.

“The reevaluation of the sample does not alter the data supporting the outbreak advisory that prompted the current voluntary recall,” said Donald Prater, the FDA’s acting deputy commissioner for food, at the press conference. “FDA’s traceback investigation and the outbreak data continue to converge on shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms locations in central Mexico.” 

Yes. While iceberg lettuce remains the only produce item federal investigators have linked to cyclospora as of Aug. 6, in recent weeks state health officials have begun to home in on other potential sources for the rising case numbers.

In North Carolina, which has seen 867 infections and 33 hospitalizations since May, infected people have reported eating parsley and cilantro “more often than expected based on population-wide surveys.” In a July 21 press conference, state officials said the herbs have appeared frequently in investigators’ ingredient-level analyses of the food residents ate before getting sick.

Cilantro is also among the ingredients associated with a subset of cyclosporiasis cases in Alabama, state officials tell CR. There have been 85 cases reported in Alabama as of Aug. 3, at least 26 of which appear to be associated with produce served at one or more Mexican-style restaurant chains in Alabama and Florida, said Alabama Department of Public Health spokesperson Arrol Sheehan. These cases are unrelated to the multistate outbreak associated with Taco Bell and “are not tied to shredded iceberg lettuce,” he said. 

The “fresh produce ingredients in salsa or pico de gallo”—meaning, cilantro, onions, and “possibly tomatoes”—have emerged as commonalities during the early stages of the investigation, he said.

Past outbreaks caused by cyclospora have been frequently linked to a handful of fruits and vegetables. These include contaminated fresh imported herbs like basil and cilantro, but also contaminated raspberries, bagged salad mixes, and romaine lettuce. A 2020 analysis of more than three dozen major outbreaks associated with fresh produce consumption found that 65 percent were caused by contaminated basil or raspberries. 

“Basil has been implicated in many cyclosporiasis outbreaks that have occurred mainly in the USA and Canada, while Guatemalan raspberries have also been indicated as the causative agent of many reported outbreaks,” the study authors wrote in the scientific journal Foods. “In addition, contaminated cilantro and lettuce have caused a significant number of cyclosporiasis infections worldwide.”

“There’s no data to support avoiding lettuce and salad greens generally at this point,” says CR’s Rogers.

The recalled Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce is now past its use-by date and is likely not in stores or being served at restaurants. In the latest update from the FDA, published Aug. 5, it said that many of the illnesses occurred prior to the recall of the Taylor Farms lettuce on July 17, and that the last illness onset related to the lettuce was July 31.

“Despite the huge jump in case counts, the distribution of cases by date of onset did not change much. There were very few cases with onset after mid-July,” said Craig Hedberg, PhD, a professor at the University of Minnesota’s division of environmental health sciences. “This is entirely consistent with the exhaustion of [the] product from the supply chain, and a lower level of risk in general.” 

As of Aug. 6, the Taylor Farms products remain the only food that federal health officials have linked to cyclosporiasis cases, and no additional brands of iceberg lettuce or other types of leafy greens have been associated with any of the ongoing outbreaks. While it’s possible that lettuce may be found to be a culprit in some of the outbreaks where a source hasn’t yet been identified, it’s just as likely that it won’t be. 

“Because the massive scale of cyclospora this year seems to be due to the imported lettuce, I think it is reasonable for people to follow their normal patterns of produce consumption,” said Hedberg, who advised consumers to avoid specific food items only if and when public health officials link them to an outbreak.

Your risk of contracting cyclosporiasis may depend on whether your state is experiencing higher-than-normal rates of infections—and whether the victims became ill from something they ate locally or during travel.   

Beyond the 15 states where cases have risen dramatically, several other states—including some that earlier this summer were not experiencing an unusual increase in cases—have begun to report a higher-than-average number of illnesses in recent weeks.

California is one example. State health officials said on July 14 that cases were lower than usual. But since then, the total number of reported illnesses has risen to 215, and 13 people have been hospitalized, California Department of Health spokesperson Beth Deines told CR. “While there are no known cyclosporiasis outbreaks in California, our cases are now higher than what we might expect for this point in the season,” said Deines. (Between 2015 and 2025, the annual number of cases reported in California ranged from 15 to 240, with an average of 106.) The investigation into the cause of the increase is still ongoing, but so far, it does not appear to be related to the large multistate outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms, said Deines, who noted that most of the cases have been associated with travel outside the U.S.

Massachusetts is experiencing a similar uptick. It has seen 145 cases since May 1, which is unusual for this time of year, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts Department of Health told CR. (For comparison, the annual number of cases reported in Massachusetts ranged from 23 to 211 between 2016 and 2025.) Investigations conducted by state and local health officials have identified “a few small case clusters,” some of which have “apparent links” to the recalled iceberg lettuce products distributed by Taylor Farms, but no large outbreaks, said spokesperson Katheleen Conti. “While Massachusetts is reporting more cyclospora cases than in a typical season, case numbers remain within the state’s historical range.” 

Several states, such as Alabama, Florida, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, among others, have seen at least double the cases they did last year. However, it’s unclear whether these infections are linked to the iceberg lettuce outbreak, are part of an unrelated outbreak, or merely reflect the typical increase in cyclospora-related illnesses seen during the summer months.

Deines offered another possible explanation for the rising cases. “Cyclosporiasis has received much national attention in 2026 due to the outbreak affecting other states. This has led to increased awareness of the illness in California and nationwide, which has likely led to increased testing for the illness,” she said.

Experts say that although the lack of concrete information may feel anxiety-inducing to some, it’s worth keeping in mind that there are simple ways to reduce your risk. "The easiest is to be proactive in both practicing good food safety at home and keeping up to date with the latest guidance from public health officials and other credible sources for your local area," says CR’s Rogers, who recommends that consumers visit the website of their state health department for updates and tailored recommendations.

Generally speaking, following basic food safety rules can go a long way toward keeping you protected. The CDC and FDA recommend that you wash your hands with soap and water before and after preparing raw fruits and vegetables. You should also wash fruits and vegetables (even those labeled as prewashed) thoroughly under running water before eating, and scrub firmer foods, like melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush. Do this before you slice into the food to avoid transferring any outside contaminants to the inside flesh. 

“It is important to wash fresh produce, and so I think that’s been shown to be very helpful in lowering the risk of this parasite,” said Prater, the FDA official, at a July 14 press conference.