Freaking Out About Cyclospora? Here’s How to Wash and Cook Produce to Reduce Your Risk

This is a developing story. As details emerge, we will update this article with new information .

Whether it’s on TikTok videos of people sharing their experiences with the parasite or your group chat blowing up about their fresh produce fears, “cyclospora” is the topic everyone seems to be talking about right now.

That makes sense: This is the biggest foodborne illness outbreak so far in 2026. The CDC released a statement on July 16 saying that shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell was linked to the outbreak in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. More than 1,644 sick people reported eating at Taco Bell in these five states. Taylor Farms has been reported by multiple outlets as a potential source of the outbreak, and the FDA is apparently working directly with the supplier to determine if this lettuce went to other places. 

The questions and concerns are not over: The CDC is continuing to investigate other outbreaks and illnesses of cyclosporiasis nationally that are reportedly unrelated to the main outbreak. To help get some clarity, I reached out to Don Schaffner, a distinguished professor at Rutgers University and extension specialist in food science, and James Rogers, the director of food safety at Consumer Reports. 

In Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia, the CDC is urging people not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell. Taco Bell also released a statement that it is voluntarily removing the potentially impacted lettuce in select states. 

While the CDC is still investigating additional sources of the ongoing outbreaks, past ones have been linked to fresh raspberries, basil, cilantro, snow peas, and mesclun lettuce. Schaffner, who spoke on the current cyclospora outbreak at the Institute for Food Safety & Nutrition Security at The George Washington University on July 16, said there aren’t any additional key ingredients you should necessarily avoid since the sources of the nationwide outbreaks have not yet been identified.

Rogers is telling his friends and family to avoid eating iceberg lettuce across the country, whether from a grocery store or at a restaurant. There’s also no way of knowing for certain if produce from farmers markets could be safer, he says, but the suspected contaminated lettuce was apparently imported from Mexico. 

He also reiterated that neither the federal government nor Consumer Reports is encouraging people to stop eating all fresh produce. If you’re worried about getting cyclosporiasis, Schaffner encourages people to cook all of their produce — the parasite dies when heated to 158°F. 

The CDC advises reducing your risk of cyclosporiasis by thoroughly washing fresh produce (even if it is labeled as pre-washed) under clean running water before eating, preparing, and cooking, and washing your hands with soap and water before and after handling produce. Chemically disinfecting and sanitizing produce might not fully eliminate cyclospora.

If you want to buy lettuce, purchase whole heads and peel and discard the outer layers before washing the rest, recommends Rogers, who also encourages people to buy fruits and vegetables that you would normally peel (apples, oranges, bananas, watermelon, avocados) and wash them before eating. It’s also important to chop the produce yourself, he adds.

While you are cleaning your produce, especially if it is a firm fruit or vegetable, make sure to scrub it with a clean produce brush. After washing, cut away any damaged or bruised areas before preparing and eating. But prioritizing cooking vegetables is the “safest option” to prevent cyclosporiasis because the parasite cannot survive at temperatures of at least 158°F.

Cyclospora is a parasite that is generally transmitted when infected feces contaminate food or water. People can get cyclosporiasis if they eat or drink contaminated food or water, but it’s unlikely to be transmitted from person to person. 

Cyclosporiasis is a seasonal illness that normally peaks during the summer months of May through August. Rogers said what is unusual this year is that there are higher numbers of infections in clusters. He says Michigan’s outbreak, which currently has over 5,000 reported cases, is a prime example of this year’s higher-than-normal numbers, as the state typically has around 50 cases a year.

Cyclospora is different from other common food contaminants, like Salmonella or E. coli, Schaffner explained, because the incubation period is much longer. It can take anywhere from two days to two weeks for symptoms to arise after eating the food. This can make it difficult to identify the source. It is also not susceptible to chlorine, which is a common way other contaminants are treated in water. 

When someone gets exposed to cyclospora and becomes sick, they can go to the doctor for special tests to see if they are infected. If the tests come back positive, then the state, CDC, and even FDA can be informed. Then, epidemiologists talk to patients to hear what they ate and try to pinpoint a statistical point of exposure between all the patients. Because this process has so many steps, it’s why discovering the sources of outbreaks takes a long time. 

He also explained that last year, Food Net, which conducts surveillance on infections transmitted commonly through food, dropped cyclospora from its mandatory reporting. According to Schaffner, it’s unclear how big of an impact this cut had on the current cyclosporiasis outbreaks, but he said that it can’t be good. And he wonders what’s going to happen next year if the country is no longer surveilling cyclosporiasis as closely. 

Rogers said that these outbreaks are not over and reminds people that the investigations are still ongoing. While the sources and outbreaks are being investigated, it’s important to stay up to date on the latest information and cook your produce if you’re really worried.