As federal health officials continue to investigate this summer's outbreak of cyclosporiasis tied to iceberg lettuce, many people are left wondering: Is it safe to eat lettuce yet?
For now, the answer seems to be generally yes – with an important caveat.
In an update last week, the US Food and Drug Administration said it "remains confident that all recalled iceberg lettuce related to this specific Cyclospora outbreak is off the market" and that "product should no longer be available in stores or restaurants."
People do not need to avoid iceberg lettuce completely — but they should be mindful not to eat any of the products that were a part of the initial recall and still practice general food safety protocols.
"In terms of the risk to consumers now, if today for dinner you wanted to go out and eat a salad, you're pretty safe from cyclospora at this point, as far as we know," said Matthew Moore, an ****** ociate professor of food science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

#outbreak

WASHINGTON (AP) — Parasitic illness cases linked to recalled iceberg lettuce have now been confirmed in 20 states, federal health officials said Thursday, expanding the scope of the largest outbreak of its kind in the U.S.
The Food and Drug Administration said government scientists have now identified cases in three additional states: Georgia, Tennessee and Texas.
The tally of people sickened by the parasite is now 11,458, up from about 10,900 reported last week.
The FDA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health officials have focused their investigation on lettuce grown at a farm in central Mexico operated by Taylor Farms, a major U.S. produce supplier.
The FDA said its staffers are continuing to inspect and test produce at the farm, in cooperation with officials from the Mexican government. The U.S. agency said it "remains confident that all recalled iceberg lettuce related to this specific cyclospora outbreak is off the market."

#lettuce #states #Health

LAS VEGAS — From a fry bread pot roast taco created for the Kansas City Chiefs' visit to A5 Wagyu tomahawks and caviar service in premium areas, Allegiant Stadium is expanding its food and beverage lineup for the 2026 Las Vegas Raiders season.
Silver & Black Hospitality, the stadium's culinary and hospitality provider, unveiled a collection of new concessions, opponent-themed dishes, specialty ***** tails, desserts and premium offerings Tuesday. The additions follow Allegiant Stadium's second-place finishes in nationwide voting for both the AFC's Best NFL Stadium and Best NFL Stadium Food in the 2026 USA TODAY 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards.
"This year we have a lot of new and kind of fun items that we're showcasing and just continuing to elevate our food and beverage program," said Dillon Schoell, senior executive chef at Allegiant Stadium.
New featured concession items include a Fry Bread Pot Roast Taco topped with lettuce, tomato, queso fresco, salsa verde and chipotle crema; a Street Dog Torta with a Sabrett hot dog, pork belly, refried beans and avocado aioli; and a Chile Relleno Burger topped with avocado and crema. The lineup also includes a Focaccia and Lox Sandwich and Really Big Chicken & Waffles served with pickles, hot honey and chives.
Other new items available throughout the season include Buffalo Chicken Wontons, Potato Tacos, an XL Chicken Club Sandwich and a Korean Philly Cheesesteak made with shaved beef, kimchi, mozzarella, provolone, green onions and gochujang aioli.

#items

(NEXSTAR) – More cases have been linked to outbreaks of cyclospora that do not have an identified source, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce, meanwhile, has expanded to two additional states.
There have been nearly 14,000 cases of domestically acquired cyclospora confirmed in the U.S. since May this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. That's well over the roughly 1,180 cases reported from May through August last year.
Of this year's cases, at least 9,480 were reported in the 17 states connected to the cyclospora outbreak traced back to iceberg lettuce, according to the FDA and the CDC. Two states, Maine and Massachusetts, were added to that tally late last week.
What is a peanut ******* er pay raise, and why you may not get one next year
At least some of the nation's cases are also linked to the ongoing cyclospora outbreaks that the FDA has been investigating.

#linked #states #according #iceberg

An outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic infection known for causing explosive diarrhea that has been linked to recalled iceberg lettuce, has expanded to two additional states since early August, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
An unprecedented wave of infections has hit the United States since May, resulting in thousands of illnesses and two deaths. The CDC, which lags significantly behind states in reporting infections, pinpointed 13,895 laboratory-confirmed cases across 47 states between May 1 and its latest update on Aug. 10. At least 10,455 additional cases have not yet been confirmed by laboratories, the CDC said.
Is lettuce safe to eat now? What to know amid cyclospora outbreak
Ohio and Michigan have led the charge in reporting cyclosporiasis incidents, with Michigan's health department stating on Aug. 13 that it had 13,909 cases, including the first two deaths identified in the nationwide outbreak.
Cyclosporiasis, an illness caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, results in unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms, often ****** ociated with food poisoning, such as diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. It is usually contracted through contaminated food or water, and it is not generally known to be deadly; however, it can cause more serious complications in people with compromised immune systems or other underlying health issues.

#lettuce

(NewsNation) — Two new states have reported an outbreak of cyclospora linked to lettuce, bringing the total number of affected states to 17.
Officials with the Food and Drug Administration added Maine and Massachusetts to the list in a Thursday update on the outbreak.
Cases of cyclosporiasis, the illness caused by cyclospora, have been confirmed in Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Cyclosporiasis can last for weeks: Here's what to watch for
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has tracked laboratory-confirmed 13,895 cases of cyclosporiasis since May 1, 2026, with 9,481 part of the outbreak. The total number of cases is likely to be higher because not everyone who is infected with cyclospora will see a doctor and because it requires specialized testing that may not be run for every person showing symptoms.

#maine #number

The answer is: Power hitting, sloppy opposing defense, and iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms.
The questions is, what are three things likely to produce runs Tuesday night?
The San Francisco Giants got four runs Tuesday night, which was enough to defeat the Houston Astros, 4-1, after 7 2/3 innings from a pair of magnificent Carsons. Winning a close game where the Giants ran the bases opportunistically and the other team committed a bunch of errors? That's some weird, wild stuff.
Carson Whisenhunt had a rough start, letting six of the first nine Astros he faced reach base. But he escaped and eventually earned his third win of the season after giving up just one run in 5.2 innings. Then Carson Seymour came through with two shutout innings of relief, yielding only a single to "Late Night" LaMonte Wade, Jr.
It was a different sort of game for the Giants, who continued their hard-luck ways Monday when Andrew Susac fouled a ball off leg and fractured his kneecap, which will keep him off the field and off his scooter for the foreseeable future. But Tuesday, the breaks started to go their way.

#carson #power

Taylor Farms has recalled salsa and guacamole products, citing salmonella risks.
The food producer said it is pulling over 12 prepared food items containing jalapeños from stores.
The recall follows a cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to Taylor Farms' iceberg lettuce last month.
Taylor Farms is recalling items, including salsa and guacamole, due to Salmonella risks, weeks after the company was linked to a cyclosporiasis outbreak.
On Sunday, the fresh food producer said that it is pulling over a dozen prepared food items containing jalapeños from retail stores because of concerns over Salmonella, a bacteria that can cause painful food poisoning.

#taylor #salmonella #salsa #pulling

Aug 9 (Reuters) - Taylor Farms said on Sunday it was recalling prepared food items containing jalapeños from retailers over concerns about potential ‌salmonella contamination, a few weeks after removing lettuce from Mexico ‌that U.S. authorities linked to the cyclospora parasite.
The California-based supplier said it had voluntarily recalled the products, including salsas and guacamole, after being notified that Coast Citrus Distributors was recalling the fresh peppers.
Taylor said in a statement it was no longer sourcing from a farmer in Sinaloa, Mexico, that was identified as the potential source ‌of the salmonella outbreak.
The ⁠Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said earlier this week they were investigating the ⁠salmonella outbreak, which had sickened 345 people across 27 states and led to 36 hospitalizations.
The U.S. investigation identified restaurants including Chipotle Mexican Grill and Qdoba, a Mexican-style restaurant chain, as having received jalapeños imported by Coast Citrus Distributors. Both ‌restaurants stopped using them, while Coast Citrus recalled the remaining product and notified customers.

#coast #Food

(NewsNation) — As the cyclospora outbreak continues to expand around the country, Dr. Robert Redfield is urging people to stay away from certain fruits and vegetables beyond lettuce.
The CDC reports that an additional six states are reporting cases of cyclosporiasis, with over 22,000 cases confirmed or suspected overall in the U.S.
Michigan, which reported the first two deaths from the outbreak, has become a hotspot for the parasite, with more than 11,000 confirmed cases. Officials confirmed both individuals who died had significant underlying health conditions.
15 states now linked to iceberg lettuce cyclospora outbreak, CDC says
Beyond that, health officials in the U.K. have said they've witnessed a substantial increase in cases among travelers returning from Mexico. Investigators have linked some cases to lettuce grown in Mexico and distributed by Taylor Farms, though the outbreak's full source has not been confirmed.

#confirmed #beyond

The dangerous illness linked to lettuce has now turned deadly, with two people reported dead in Michigan. In North Carolina, officials say recent cases reported eating parsley and cilantro. NBC News' Anne Thompson reports.

#reported #lettuce

This story was originally published on QSR. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily QSR AM Jolt.
Taco Bell has consistently been one of the best-performing QSRs in the industry over the past several years. A U.S. public health crisis quickly interrupted that momentum.
The chain's same-store sales declined 2 percent quarter-to-date through July 27 after a cyclospora outbreak sickened thousands across several states. The sharpest impact came over the weekend of July 18, according to Yum! Brands.
The outbreak was linked to iceberg lettuce, some of which was served at certain Taco Bell restaurants. In response, the company swiftly removed the affected lettuce.
The downturn followed a second quarter in which Taco Bell's same-store sales rose 7 percent. The chain outperformed the quick-service restaurant industry for the ninth consecutive quarter and expanded its digital sales mix by 5 percentage points to 47 percent.

#sales #industry #same

(NewsNation) — The cyclospora outbreak continues to be a point of concern for health professionals, with one former CDC director saying people should now be cautious about more than just lettuce.
Michigan health officials noted Monday there are 9,253 cases in the state and 160 residents were hospitalized as of last week. The disease has been linked to other states in the Midwest, with a record number of cases being reported.
The CDC has documented more than 4,000 laboratory-confirmed cases, and state records suggest the total number of cases has increased to nearly 12,000.
How could cyclospora get into the food supply?
Recently, a second separate cyclospora outbreak, with no known origin, has sickened 72 people as of last week.

#cases #outbreak #Health #people

As health officials investigate a multistate cyclospora outbreak, so far linked to recalled iceberg lettuce, many Americans are asking the same question after eating a salad or sandwich: Should I be worried?
Federal health officials have linked shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in five states to a subset of the outbreak, prompting the fast-food chain to pull Taylor Farms lettuce from its food.
Additionally, Taylor Farms de Mexico has recalled certain iceberg lettuce products sold at Walmart under the Marketside brand and distributed to restaurants and other food-service customers.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently addressed the spread of cyclosporiasis, telling reporters during a July 21 news briefing that "we do have the outbreak under control."
"We have done extensive forensics, epidemiological forensics, and we have identified the source of the outbreak. We, and the companies that are involved, have implemented a recall," Kennedy added.

#Health #farms #linked

(NewsNation) — Astronomers may have discovered the first moon outside of our solar system, and it may force them to reconsider the idea of what a "moon" is.
A new study published in Nature describes the discovery of a possible exomoon, but things get a little weird. Researchers noted the object could be an exomoon or it could be something else entirely that doesn't fall neatly into the category of moon or planet.
While Earth's singular moon is the most familiar, there are 891 moons orbiting planets and dwarf planets in our solar system, with more than 200 of those belonging to Saturn alone.
Why does lettuce remain the top suspect in the cyclospora outbreak?
Given the numbers, it makes sense to ***** ume planets in other solar systems travel with a similar entourage.

#astronomers #researchers

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Tuesday that federal officials have brought the multistate cyclospora outbreak "under control," saying investigators have identified the source of the illnesses and implemented recalls, even as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues investigating the precise source of the contamination.
"We do have the outbreak under control," Kennedy said during a healthcare fraud briefing Tuesday. "We have done extensive forensics, epidemiological forensics and we have identified the source of the outbreak. We, and the companies that are involved, have implemented a recall."
Kennedy's comments came two days after the FDA said an earlier laboratory result indicating a Taylor Farms lettuce sample tested positive for cyclospora should be considered a false positive following an additional laboratory review.
The FDA said it continues investigating the outbreak and collecting product samples. While traceback investigators identified Taylor Farms de Mexico as the supplier of shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants linked to the outbreak, the agency said no product samples connected to the investigation have produced a confirmed positive result for the parasite.
White House Addresses Growing Parasite Outbreak After More Than 400 Americans Sickened

#source #positive #parasite

(NEXSTAR) – Yet another state has been linked to the multistate outbreak of the parasite-linked sickness cyclosporiasis as investigators seek to positively identify the cause.
While the Food and Drug Administration has confirmed that a positive test result linked to samples of Taylor Farms-branded shredded lettuce sourced from central Mexico was instead a false positive, the investigation remains focused on the produce.
"FDA's traceback investigation and outbreak data continue to converge on shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms locations in central Mexico," the FDA said Monday. The agency added that it "will continue to work with federal and state partners to investigate this multistate outbreak and ensure products implicated in this outbreak have been removed from the market."
Product samples are still being collected, but "there are no confirmed positive sample results" linked to the cyclospora outbreak, the FDA said.
Is recalled lettuce safe after false positive result? FDA issues warning

(NewsNation) — Three Ohio residents are suing Taco Bell, alleging they became sick after eating at the restaurant as a cyclospora outbreak continues to spread.
According to NewsNation affiliate WJW, food safety attorney Bill Marler has filed lawsuits on behalf of a Youngstown man, a North Olmsted man and, most recently, an Ashtabula County woman.
The lawsuits also name Taylor Farms, Taco Bell's lettuce supplier, alleging contaminated lettuce caused the illnesses. Marler said the Midwest has become the center of the current outbreak.
When was the last cyclosporiasis 'explosive diarrhea' outbreak?
According to one lawsuit, the North Olmsted man ate a meal containing lettuce at a Taco Bell restaurant in June. About a week later, he began experiencing symptoms and was subsequently diagnosed with cyclosporiasis.

A sample of shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico has tested positive for cyclospora, federal health officials said July 18, noting that the lettuce was collected as part of an ongoing investigation and is not included in the company's current recall.
The investigation has raised questions about whether there is more lettuce posing potential risk.
In the latest update from the Food and Drug Administration, the agency said a sample of shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico recently tested positive for cyclospora. The sample was not part of the lettuce recalled July 17 for potential risk of cyclospora.
The FDA said the contaminated sample was collected through targeted import surveillance conducted as part of the agency's probe. The agency said Taylor Farms confirmed the positive sample is not part of the company's current voluntary recall.
The company is "currently working to identify whether any part of this implicated lot is available in commerce or in consumers homes," according to the FDA, which said the positive lot is being detained while the investigation continues.

Taco Bell has narrowed down its focus on ingredients linked to an ongoing cyclosporiasis outbreak that has sickened thousands of people nationwide. The suspected culprit: lettuce.
The fast-food chain said July 16 it had removed lettuce from one of its suppliers in select states after reports linked the ingredient to the growing cases of the stomach-churning parasitic infection that causes diarrhea and nausea across several states.
"Based on ongoing conversations with public health officials, and out of an abundance of caution, Taco Bell has taken immediate action to voluntarily remove potentially impacted lettuce from a supplier in select states," the company said in a statement.
The lettuce supplied by the vendor would be "indefinitely removed" from its supply chain nationwide and replaced within 24 hours in affected states, according to Taco Bell. The company did not identify the supplier or specify which states were affected by the removal.

(NEXSTAR) – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed more than 800 cases of cyclosporiasis, a gastrointestinal illness that causes extreme diarrhea, across more than half of U.S. states. The grand total appears set to continue climbing as the agency is investigating more than 1,500 likely new cases.
The illness is cause by the cyclospora parasite, which enters the body through contaminated produce. If you're unlucky enough to ingest it, you may get stuck with weeks of watery diarrhea as well as "frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements," according to the CDC.
The exact source of this massive outbreak isn't yet known, but in the past cyclospora has largely been found on fresh fruits and vegetables that were contaminated by irrigation water tainted with feces.
Map: Cases of 'explosive' diarrhea illness continue to climb
Historically, the most commonly contaminated foods were raspberries, basil, cilantro, green onions, snow peas, lettuce, mesclun and salad mixes. A study reviewing outbreaks since the 1990s found cyclospora may also have contaminated blackberries, watercress, mango, and vegetable trays.

A man in New York City contracted the cyclospora parasite in May, after eating chopped lettuce.
He experienced 10 days of watery diarrhea, severe indigestion, and stomach pain, with no appetite.
Lettuce has been identified as a potential source of the outbreak.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Chase Strangio, a 43-year-old attorney from New York City who recently tested positive for the cyclospora parasite. It's been edited for length and clarity.
I am not someone who normally skips dinner; I love food. But on a busy Wednesday evening in late May, I just couldn't bring myself to eat anything.