The lettuce Cyclospora outbreak: produce safety at home

Food Poisoning Bulletin reported that a Cyclospora outbreak has sickened at least 19,883 people in the US. The outlet cites CDC data and says the outbreak is linked to iceberg lettuce.

What happened

The CDC outbreak page linked the illnesses to iceberg lettuce. The report counts cases reported from May 1 to August 31, with 1,064 people hospitalized. It says the numbers could keep rising into mid-October because of reporting delays, and that the outbreak had ended as of September 11.

What it means for your home

Most families cannot test the food they buy, so the most useful habits are simple ones. Check recall notices, wash produce before you eat it, and keep a clean water supply for washing when the tap is not reliable.

What to do this week

• Check the CDC and FDA pages for recalls of lettuce and other leafy greens.
• Throw out any lettuce that is recalled, and do not eat it.
• Rinse fresh produce under running water before you eat or cut it.
• Keep raw produce apart from raw meat in the fridge and in your shopping bags.
• Keep a water filter at home so you can wash food during an outage.

For a plan that covers clean water at home, read our guide to making water safe to drink.