# Food Safety Experts Avoiding These Foods During Cyclosporiasis Outbreak
A cyclosporiasis outbreak has prompted food safety experts to issue specific dietary guidance. Cyclospora cayetanensis, a parasitic protozoan, causes this foodborne illness and spreads primarily through contaminated produce.
The infection triggers severe gastrointestinal symptoms including watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, and fatigue. Symptoms typically emerge 7 to 10 days after exposure and can persist for weeks without treatment.
Food safety authorities recommend heightened caution with fresh produce, particularly items commonly associated with past outbreaks. Leafy greens, berries, and imported fruits have historically carried higher contamination risk. The parasite survives freezing and cooking temperatures below certain thresholds, making raw consumption the primary concern.
Experts advise washing all fresh produce thoroughly under running water, even organic and locally-sourced items. Produce washing solutions offer limited additional protection beyond water alone, according to the FDA. Consumers should remove outer leaves from leafy vegetables and discard any visibly damaged produce.
Those with compromised immune systems, including people with HIV or undergoing chemotherapy, face elevated infection risks and should consult healthcare providers about produce safety during outbreaks.
Cooking produce to internal temperatures of 160 degrees Fahrenheit kills the parasite reliably. Freezing at commercial temperatures does not eliminate cyclospora, though home freezing at subzero temperatures may reduce viability over extended periods.
Travelers to endemic regions in Central and South America should exercise extra caution with uncooked foods and untreated water. The CDC maintains outbreak tracking and updates recommendations as situations evolve.
Healthcare providers can confirm cyclosporiasis through stool samples, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole treatment