- At least 206 people have become ill in a cyclospora food poisoning outbreak related to bagged salads.
- Fresh Express salads are being recalled from retailers such as Walmart, Aldi and Hy-Vee.
- Some experts refuse to eat bagged salads because of the risks of food poisoning, and attorney Bill Marler says he avoids pre-cut fruits and vegetables “like the plague.”
- Visit the Business Insider home page for more stories.
More than 200 people have become ill in an outbreak of food poisoning related to bagged salads.
At least 206 people had become ill with Cyclospora infections as of June 26, according to the US Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The FDA and CDC are investigating the outbreak, which is potentially related to Fresh Express salads sold at stores like Aldi, Hy-Vee, and Walmart.
On Saturday, Fresh Express recalled salad products containing iceberg lettuce, red cabbage, or carrots produced at its Streamwood, Illinois facility. Recalled items have product code Z178 (or a lower number). You can find the full list of recalled products here.
According to the CDC, people in eight states, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Montana, have become ill.
After eating foods contaminated with cyclospore, people can become infected with cyclosporiasis, an intestinal infection that the CDC can cause “severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, body aches, and fatigue.”
Experts have long warned people about the food poisoning risks related to bagged salad and other pre-cut products. Bill Marler, a food poisoning attorney, told Business Insider that he avoids pre-cut fruits and vegetables “like the plague.”
While bagged salads and other prepared products are convenient, more people who handle and process food means there may be a greater chance of contamination. A CDC study found that leafy green vegetables were associated with more cases of food poisoning than any other type of food between 1998 and 2008. A Consumer Reports analysis of 208 bags of salad found that one-third contained “unacceptable” levels. bacteria with the potential to cause poisoned food.
