FDA and CDC Join Forces to Prevent Cyclospora Infections from Domestic Produce
This week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced a joint collaboration aimed at protecting consumers from Cyclospora cayetanensis, a parasite that has caused multistate outbreaks of foodborne illness in recent years.
Since the mid-1990s, the U.S. has experienced Cyclospora outbreaks linked to imported fresh produce--basil, cilantro, mesclun, raspberries, and snow peas. However, July 2018 was the first time that domestically grown produce (cilantro) has ever tested positive for the parasite.