Cyclospora Lawyer Update: FDA Updates on Cyclospora Outbreak Linked to Fresh Express.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced an update on the recent multi-state cyclospora outbreak was on June 29, 2020. The update disclosed that the epidemiologic and traceback information collected by federal and state investigators indicates that a likely cause of this outbreak is the product made at the Fresh Express production facility in Streamwood, Illinois. According to the FDA, they have been working along with Fresh Express to identify retailers it has supplied with products containing iceberg lettuce, red cabbage, or carrots. So far, ALDI, Hy-Vee, Jewel-Osco, and Walmart have announced recalls of Garden Salad Bags potentially linked to the outbreak.

The number of reported cases linked to the outbreak has continued to grow since it was first announced on June 19, 2020; the total number of people affected has risen to 206 laboratory-confirmed cases. On June 26, 2020, the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discussed with Fresh Express concerns that additional products made in the Streamwood facility could also contain Cyclospora. In response, Fresh Express announced on June 27, 2020, a recall of products containing iceberg lettuce, red cabbage, or carrots and displaying the product code Z178 or a lower number. The recall affected products sold in Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

The FDA has announced that their investigation is ongoing and they will continue to work along with the CDC as well as local and state officials to investigate this multi-state Cyclospora Outbreak. Retailers have been advised to remove the potentially adulterated products from the market place. Consumers should also refrain from consuming the potentially contaminated Garden Salad Bag products and either dispose of them or return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. 

Consumers need to stay vigilant of Fresh Express products with the “Best By” dates of July 14, 2020. People who have consumed any of the potentially contaminated salads and are experiencing symptoms of Cyclosporiasis should contact a medical health care provider and request a Cyclospora Screen as soon as possible. Ron Simon, a national cyclospora lawyer who is representing victims affected by the Garden Salad Cyclospora outbreak, stated “The period between becoming infected and becoming sick is usually around 1 week. Cyclospora infects the small intestine and usually causes watery diarrhea, with frequent, sometimes explosive, bowel movements.”

For more information on the Garden Salad Cyclospora Outbreak, to speak to a Cyclospora Lawyer, or to inquire about a Cyclospora lawsuit, call 1-888-335-4901.

https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-cyclospora-bagged-salads-june

https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/2020/index.html#:~:text=June%2019%2C%202020

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fresh-express-bagged-salads-recalled-after-more-200-illnesses-reported-n1232471