Wisconsin health officials say a multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis linked to contaminated iceberg lettuce could be contributing to some of the state’s cases.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services said Wednesday, Aug. 5 that 216 cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported in the state, including 94 among people who did not report traveling internationally. The intestinal illness is caused by a parasite and, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has been linked to “watery diarrhea with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements.”
More than 6,000 cases across multiple states have been linked to an outbreak caused by contaminated iceberg lettuce produced by Taylor Farms, which led to an investigation and July 17 recall. But public health officials in Wisconsin have sometimes found it hard to link the state’s cases to a particular outbreak, DHS spokesperson Jennifer Miller told the Journal Sentinel.
“In many cases, people who have become ill remember eating a certain food item, but cannot provide exact details of the product they ate,” Miller said. “This can make it difficult to link cases directly to an outbreak.”
While the recalled product was distributed in Wisconsin, Miller said it has since been removed from store shelves.
“There is no other action Wisconsinites need to take at this point,” she said.
What to know about the Taylor Farms lettuce recall
On July 17, Taylor Farms issued a voluntary recall of iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico amid an investigation by public health officials. The affected products included shredded lettuce, salad mixes and blends, which were distributed from June 29 to July 16 in at least 27 states, including Wisconsin.
Over two-plus weeks of distribution, the products were sent to restaurants, retailers and food service providers, including Taco Bell and Walmart’s Marketside label. However, the FDA did not include Wisconsin in its list of states affected by either brand.
Instead, food service companies in Wisconsin were listed as having received affected lettuce from Taylor Farms.
In its most recent report, the FDA counted over 6,300 cases of cyclosporiasis across 15 states in connection to iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms. Wisconsin is not among the states listed in the outbreak because it does not currently meet the CDC’s case definition, Miller said.
Is lettuce in Wisconsin safe to eat?
The affected products from Taylor Farms were distributed with use-by dates ranging from July 16 to Aug. 3, which means if any lettuce snuck through the recall, it should no longer be in circulation. The CDC says anyone with recalled lettuce still in their refrigerator should throw it out.
However, the FDA said it still expects case counts to climb in the coming weeks because it can take up to six weeks for health officials to determine if a case is part of the outbreak.
Meals on Wheels, a nationwide food service organization with a program in Milwaukee County, does not have any plans to change its menu due to the outbreak. The program has been monitoring the situation and requires caterers to use suppliers that receive notifications from health officials when food recalls are in effect.
“We are following all food safety protocols set by the state and federal government,” Gaylyn Reske, senior dining program coordinator, told the Journal Sentinel.
How to safely handle food amid cyclosporiasis outbreak
There are certain safe food handling practices that are recommended to mitigate the risk of cyclosporiasis, including:
Lance Schulteis can be reached at LSchulteis@usatodayco.com.
Tamia Fowlkes of the Journal Sentinel contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Is lettuce in Wisconsin safe to eat amid the cyclosporiasis outbreak?
Reporting by Lance Schulteis, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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By Lance Schulteis, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
