Another Foodborne Outbreak for Salad Products Containing Leafy Greens, This Time Due to Cyclospora Contamination
Some grocery store brand bagged salads have been linked to a number Cyclospora infections--marking the 5th consecutive year that a product associated with leafy greens has been involved in a foodborne outbreak.
ALDI, Hy-Vee, and Jewel-Osco are the grocery store brand “garden salads” potentially linked to the outbreak. The garden salads contain iceberg lettuce, red cabbage, and carrots.
So far, 76 illnesses, including 16 hospitalizations, have been confirmed in 6 states. No deaths have been reported.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are recommending that consumers should not eat, and restaurants and retailers should not sell or serve all ALDI Little Salad Bar Brand Garden Salad sold in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Missouri, all Hy-Vee Brand Garden Salad sold in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, and Nebraska, and Jewel-Osco Signature Farms Brand Garden Salad sold in Illinois.
Although the investigation is ongoing, CDC’s analysis of epidemiologic information indicates that these bagged salads from ALDI, Hy-Vee, and Jewel-Osco grocery stores are a likely cause of the illnesses. FDA has initiated a traceback investigation to determine supplier and distributor information to find the cause and source of the outbreak.
FDA is in the beginning stages of this investigation and there may be additional retailers and products impacted by this outbreak. As this outbreak investigation continues, the FDA will provide additional updates to this advisory as more information becomes available.
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