Why cyclospora keeps showing up in produce season after season
KSL News • • health
Key Points:
- Utah has reported 48 cyclosporiasis cases since May, but none are linked to the current federal and state-monitored cyclospora outbreak.
- Cyclospora, a parasite causing intestinal illness, thrives in warmer temperatures, particularly from May through August, according to Utah State University food safety specialist Dr. Jose Brandao.
- Contamination sources include leakage from sewage into groundwater, worker hygiene issues, and runoff from rain, which can spread the parasite into agricultural fields.
- Cyclospora is resistant to chlorine treatments used in produce washing, making it difficult to eliminate through standard sanitation processes.
- Updated food safety regulations and training under the Food Modernization Safety Act have improved contamination prevention, with Utah farmers generally adhering well to produce safety practices.
