By Rajwa Quasim
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Acting Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, Donald Prater, defended the safety of the nation’s food supply despite a rise in cyclosporiasis cases. Speaking at the International Association for Food Protection’s annual meeting on Monday, Prater said, “The U.S. food supply is safe.”
While acknowledging the challenges that remain, he added, “It will take a little time. But we do believe we’re taking action and we’re protecting public health.”
U.S. health officials are investigating a record surge in cyclosporiasis caused by parasite cyclospora. As per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday, there are more than 18,000 confirmed or suspected cases nationwide. It raises concerns about the safety of fresh produce during the peak summer season.
READ: Taco Bell lettuce linked to parasite outbreak in five states (July 17, 2026)
According to the latest data from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, there are 33 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis. Out of 33 confirmed cases, 17 people reported eating lettuce from locations that recalled Taylor Farms products. In Michigan, there are indications that the number of illnesses linked to contaminated lettuce is declining. However, health experts caution that contaminated produce may still be available.
As per Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, around 9,500 individuals have gotten sick with over 160 hospitalizations, as of Tuesday. Michigan has been the epicenter of the cyclospora outbreak in the U.S.
The FDA linked one outbreak in five states to iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico. But the investigation hit a rocky patch when FDA initially announced that a lettuce sample had tested positive, only to retrieve back a day later, calling it a false positive. The officials later clarified that false positive came from lettuce undergoing regular screening at the border and not due to the outbreak spreading.
READ: FDA to reconsider ‘recognized as safe’ for ultra processed food (February 17, 2026)
Meanwhile, in states such as New York and North Carolina cases are seen higher than normal clusters and sources there are unknown. The second outbreak announced by FDA last week affected at least 72 people unrelated to the outbreak linked to Taylor Farms.
Health experts say that the cyclospora outbreak can be difficult to trace as symptoms can take 7 to 10 days to appear after exposure, and test results can take another week or more. Which adds nearly three weeks from the time someone eats contaminated food to when officials get a confirmed case. It is unusually hard to trace. Unlike bacteria such as E.coli or Salmonella, it cannot be grown in a lab culture easily.
Cyclospora, a tiny parasite, causes an intestinal illness called cyclosporiasis. As it enters the body, it affects the intestines, and the symptoms last weeks, if not treated. According to CDC, an individual gets infected after eating or drinking contaminated food and water, usually when human waste enters the food or water supply. The most common symptom is frequent, watery diarrhea, but the infection can also cause loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps, bloating, gas, nausea, and extreme tiredness. To prevent the infection, it is recommended to follow hygiene and caution in way of handling food produce.