US Foodborne Pathogens

Cyclospora

The Ongoing Outbreak. The Cyclospora outbreak which began this past May has grown into the largest on record in the U.S. The outbreak continued to dominate food safety news throughout the month of August. As of late August, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 17,170 laboratory confirmed cyclospora cases in the U.S. with 922 hospitalizations and two deaths. Both deaths were in Michigan; the state hardest hit by the outbreak.

The CDC has reported multiple cyclospora clusters with the largest outbreak being associated with iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms in Mexico. On August 17th, The FDA began an inspection of the Taylor Farms lettuce operation in Mexico. This farm had not been inspected by the FDA for seven years prior to the outbreak.

The lettuce from Mexico reportedly accounted for 9,481 cyclospora infections and 398 hospitalizations. The CDC has been investigating at least six other clusters of cyclospora for which sources have not been confirmed. The outbreak has covered 48 states and the District of Columbia. As of August 27th, the CDC confirmed 11,485 cyclospora-infected patients in Georgia, Tennessee and Texas. As of the end of the month, the death toll from the outbreak stills stands at two.

Cyclospora Inspection. A CBS News analysis, using FDA’s Data Dashboard of import data, found that there are about 47,000 foreign manufacturers accounting for 90% of non-meat food shipments into the U.S. last year and that the FDA had inspected 4.5% of them since 2023. Federal law puts the burden on U.S. companies importing food to ensure their suppliers follow safety standards.

Under FSMA (The Food Safety Modernization Act), Congress set an annual target for foreign inspections at 19,200. However, with a FDA estimate of $38,700 per foreign inspection, the Congressional mandate would cost about $743 million a year, which is more than 10% of the FDA’s entire budget.

Cyclospora Genotyping. On August 20th, the CDC reported for the first time that it was genotyping samples from persons infected with cyclospora and that the parasites causing the illness are genetically related.

While California lettuce has not been implicated in the cyclospora outbreak, California lettuce growers have reportedly destroyed about a third of the crops ready for harvest because of declining sales.

Possible Remedy. A recent “The Packer” article reported on a food safety breakthrough. According to the article, the Onza Corp. has reported that its Fresh Sure technology converts volatile ozone gas into a stable, USDA-organic solid crystal matrix which achieves up to log-five pathogen reductions and extends produce shelf life by up to nine days. The Corporation stated that FreshSure will neutralize foodborne illness risks like cyclospora.

Salmonella

Eggs. In the past two months roughly 19 million eggs were recalled due to Salmonella contamination which sickened nearly 100 people.

Jalapenos. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert for 18 meat and poultry products containing FDA-regulated jalapenos contaminated with Salmonella. The Salmonella Javiana outbreak, traced to fresh jalapeno peppers, infected 431 people in 32 states with 57 hospitalizations since early August. The peppers were grown in Sinaloa, Mexico, distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors of San Diego and repackaged by Dairyland Produce, LLC, doing business as Hardie’s Fresh Foods of Houston, Texas.

Many of the implicated products were sold under the Taylor Farms brand, with other brands including Walmart’s Marketside brand and H-E-B brand. Stores receiving the recalled products include Hannaford, Kroger, Stop and Shop, Target, Trader Joe’s, Walmart and Whole Foods.

Alfalfa Sprouts. The CDC reported that the number of people infected in an outbreak of Salmonella and E. coli infections has grown to about 60 people, located from coast to coast in 15 states. The outbreaks are associated with Everything Sprouts and Calco brands in 5 oz plastic containers. Fifty-five people have been infected with either E. coli or Salmonella. From the reporting, it is not clear if a 5 oz plastic container contained both Salmonella and E. coli or if some containers contained only one pathogen, while others container the other pathogen.

Pistachio Butter. Imported pistachio butter sold at Walmart stores were recalled because of Salmonella.

Unidentified Source. The FDA investigated an outbreak of Salmonella Newport with 84 patients identified as of 30 August. The FDA is not reporting information about the patients, the location of the outbreak, or the traceback efforts under way.

E. coli

Blueberries. GreenWise frozen blueberries and whole mixed berries were recalled over possible E. coli contamination. The products were recalled by Frutas y Hortalizas del Sur S.A. after a multistate E. coli outbreak.

According to the FDA, the outbreak sickened 12 people and hospitalized four. The affected berries were sold at Publix stores and have been removed from the store shelves.

Alfalfa Sprouts. A multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections has been linked to recalled alfalfa sprouts from Everything Sprouts, LLC, under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brand. Everything Sprouts is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

In contrast to the above reporting under Salmonella, here the reporting only mentioned E. coli contamination of the Everything Sprouts’ alfalfa sprouts.

Listeria

Ricotta Cheese. A dozen persons were sickened from a Listeria monocytogenes contamination of Requeson soft ricotta cheese from Clover Hill Dairy. One of the infected people died.

New World Screwworm

President Trump announced a plan to temporarily allow more foreign beef imports into the U.S. without paying higher tariffs, his latest move aimed at easing a run-up in beef prices for American shoppers. For the next 90 days the administration will allow as much as 300,000 metric tons of ground beef to be imported without triggering higher tariff rates. The beef will reportedly be sold at 25% below current market prices.

The President’s beef plan is enabled by the fact that the New World Screwworm which had been crossing into the U.S from South America, now appears to be under control. Recently the USDA stated that it would re-open ports along the U.S. southern border to Mexican cattle.

The cattle had been prohibited from entering the U.S. due to concerns about spreading the New World Screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite to U.S. cattle.

Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS)

On August 10th, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a proposed rule ending self-affirmed GRAS and would require companies to notify HHS/Food and Drug Administration (FDA) whenever they conclude an ingredient is safe. The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register at 91 FR 51834, docket FDA-3025-N-3262. Comments are open through December 9, 2026.

New FDA Commissioner

President Trump is expected to nominate Dr. Heidi Overton to head the FDA. Dr. Overton is currently Deputy Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. She will succeed acting chief Kyle Diamantas.