A cyclospora outbreak has sickened hundreds, possibly thousands, of Americans with a long-lasting parasitic infection, and dining out presents a unique challenge for people who want to avoid it.
While experts have tips for preparing food at home, dining out means letting someone else do the prep work, including washing produce and cooking food to the right temperature.
“Consumers, whether they’re at home or at restaurants, have to be a bit more cautious and, frankly, paranoid,” Bill Marler, a food safety lawyer, told USA TODAY. As someone who has represented people with bouts of the illness, he said, “It is not pleasant, and it can last for months.”
Some restaurants are removing risky ingredients from their menus as experts encourage caution. But major national chains have said little publicly about their response plans. The outbreak has unevenly hit the country with some states reporting hundreds or more cases — and others none at all.
USA TODAY reached out to the National Restaurant Association, which represents the industry, and several major national fast-food chains asking if they are doing anything different related to the outbreak. Those included Taco Bell’s parent company YUM! Brands, McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, Jersey Mike’s, Burger King, Subway, and Wendy’s. None have immediately returned USA TODAY’s requests for comment.
Meanwhile, Laurie Schalow, Chipotle’s chief corporate affairs and food safety officer, said in an emailed statement to USA TODAY on July 11 that Chipotle is monitoring the situation.
“We are aware of the cyclospora investigation and at this time, we don’t believe the ingredients we source are associated,” Schalow said. “We are monitoring the situation closely and evaluating any new information as it becomes available. The health and safety of our guests and team members is our highest priority.”
Updates on the Cyclospora Outbreak
Investigators are still unsure what’s causing the uptick of cyclosporiasis, though it’s known that fresh produce and water can harbor cyclospora, which is typically spread via fecal matter that people eat in contaminated products.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tallies over 840 cases as of July 9, but states are reporting far higher numbers of cyclosporiasis, with thousands suspected across the country. In Michigan, which has seen cases skyrocket, health officials have identified over 1,500 cases, with 44 people hospitalized.
The parasitic infection isn’t typically life-threatening, and it’s unusual for people to directly spread it to each other. But without treatment, cyclosporiasis symptoms can linger for more than a month, including watery bowel movements, explosive diarrhea, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting.
At home, people can take steps to reduce risk of contracting the parasite, such as frequent hand-washing before touching produce, as well as cooking fruits and vegetables to kill the parasite.
Some Restaurants Are Making Changes Amid Outbreak
As officials try to trace the source of the outbreaks, some restaurants are already describing their processes to customers to prevent spread of the parasite.
On July 10, Dipisa’s Pizza, in Stevensville, Michigan, said it’s simply removing lettuce, tomatoes and onions from the menu out of caution.
“Rather than take any unnecessary risks, we’ve decided it’s best to pause serving these fresh produce items until more information is available and the situation is resolved,” the pizzeria’s Facebook post said.
The Red B Restaurant, in Idabel, Oklahoma, said in a July 10 Facebook post that, even though there haven’t been confirmed cyclosporiasis cases in the state, the restaurant is taking additional precautions.
The post said the restaurant is soaking and washing produce again, even if the lettuce and spinach are pre-washed but not bagged. That may make salads a little wetter, the restaurant’s post said. The post added the restaurant has taken kale and parsley off fare because they’re harder to clean.
In Michigan, Roma’s Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant clarified it never uses bagged lettuce but buys whole heads of lettuce and cuts them fresh in-house daily. That decision was made before, the restaurant said in a July 9 Facebook post, because of freshness, texture and quality of whole lettuce. The restaurant said it hadn’t received reports of illness related to its lettuce.
USA TODAY has reached out to the restaurants for more information.
Experts Weigh In About Safely Dining Out
Advice from federal health organizations has largely focused on preparing food at home, rather than dining out. Some experts say caution is a good idea if you’re trying to avoid illness.
When eating out, it’s probably best to avoid fresh fruit and salad bars, at least for now, especially when you can’t tell their origins or washing methods, said Rodney E. Rohde, a microbiologist and chair of the Medical Laboratory Science Program, College of Health Professions at Texas State University.
Cyclospora can spread easily, he said. It’s more resistant to traditional chlorine-based cleaning methods. And while washing produce is recommended, rinsing alone can’t fully remove the parasite if it’s lodged into the crevices of contaminated berries or leafy greens. The importance is awareness and caution in what people eat, said Rohde, who recently wrote about the parasite for Texas State.
It’s still unclear whether this is one large multistate outbreak, or several smaller outbreaks happening at the same time, Dr. Suraj Saggar, chief of infectious disease at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, New Jersey, said in an emailed statement to USA TODAY.
Saggar, who is familiar with the parasite, said there could be multiple clusters involving different sources.
“What’s different this year is the unusually high number of cases and the fact that investigators still haven’t identified a specific source. Often, public health officials can trace an outbreak back to a particular farm, grower, supplier, or contaminated water source and issue a targeted recall,” Saggar said. “Right now, they haven’t been able to do that, suggesting there may be multiple contaminated products or multiple unrelated outbreaks occurring simultaneously.
“Overall, this is a significant public health story because of the number of cases and the lack of a clearly identified source,” Saggar concluded.
Marler, the food safety lawyer, said cyclospora is also a summertime problem, with cases not typically seen in the winter. It’s unclear why the country is seeing more outbreaks, especially the increases acquired domestically, not internationally, which was the case more than a decade ago.
Of course, it’s almost impossible to avoid foodborne illnesses, Rohde said. However, with outbreaks, public health is critical to detect and prevent spread of pathogens, but also tracing cases and finding their origins.
Meanwhile, the country has fewer federal public health workers than in the past, he said, adding the outbreak “is probably wider spread than we realized.”
Reporting by Eduardo Cuevas and Terry Collins, USA TODAY. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.
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