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Can you eat lettuce safely during the cyclospora outbreak? Advice from an infectious disease expert
PBS • • business
Key Points:
- A 2026 cyclosporiasis outbreak in the U.S. has sickened over 11,500 people and led 40% of adults to reduce fresh produce consumption, despite the health benefits of leafy greens.
- Prewashed and bagged lettuce, while convenient and generally safe, carries increased contamination risk due to multiple processing stages and potential pathogen spread, including cyclospora which resists common sanitizers.
- Choosing whole heads of lettuce and washing them thoroughly at home, especially when locally sourced, can significantly reduce contamination risk compared to mass-produced prewashed greens.
- The article emphasizes that the health advantages of eating salads outweigh the relatively low risk of foodborne illness if consumers follow safety practices such as rinsing produce and preferring local, less processed options.
