IFPA Calls for Stronger Science-Based Food Safety

The International Fresh Produce Association is calling for closer cooperation, improved traceability and stronger government food-safety programs as federal and state agencies continue investigating Cyclospora illnesses linked to iceberg lettuce.

IFPA said its first concern is for those affected by the outbreak and identifying the root cause. The association is urging regulators, policymakers and produce supply-chain companies to use the investigation as an opportunity to improve prevention and response efforts.

“Food safety is an ongoing effort and a shared responsibility along every step of the supply chain,” said Max Teplitski, IFPA’s chief science officer.

The association is advocating for Congress and the administration to strengthen the Food and Drug Administration’s Human Foods Program, advance end-to-end traceability, improve risk-based regulatory oversight and provide sufficient resources for state produce-safety and compliance programs.

The comments come amid an FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigation of a multistate outbreak associated with iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico. In its July 24 update, FDA reported 1,947 illnesses involving people who said they had eaten at Taco Bell locations in nine states. At least 98 people had been hospitalized, with no deaths reported.

The cases occurred in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The illnesses included in that investigation represent a subset of the Cyclospora infections reported nationwide this year.

Taylor Farms de Mexico voluntarily removed iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market and initiated a recall in July. The recalled products included certain Marketside-brand iceberg salad and shredded lettuce items sold at select Walmart stores, as well as products supplied to foodservice customers.

FDA said its traceback work and epidemiological evidence continued to point toward shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico. The investigation remained active, and regulators cautioned that additional cases could be added because it can take several weeks to determine whether an illness is connected to an outbreak.

Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that can cause an intestinal illness known as cyclosporiasis when people consume contaminated food or water. Symptoms can include frequent diarrhea, appetite loss, weight loss, stomach cramps, bloating, nausea and fatigue. Illness can persist for weeks without treatment and may appear to improve before returning.

The outbreak has also highlighted the importance of accurate epidemiological interviews. CDC’s Cyclosporiasis National Hypothesis Generating Questionnaire collects standardized information about what patients ate, where they purchased food and other possible exposures during the two weeks before symptoms began. The goal is to help investigators recognize outbreak patterns and identify possible sources.

Because Cyclospora cases often increase during spring and summer and can involve multiple clusters, careful data collection and transparent communication are essential to determining which illnesses are connected.

IFPA said the industry must continue working with public-health agencies to reduce the likelihood of future incidents, respond more quickly when illnesses occur and limit their effects on consumers.

The organization’s broader message is that protecting public health and maintaining confidence in fresh produce require coordination throughout the supply chain. Improving traceability, regulatory capacity and outbreak-investigation tools could allow agencies and companies to identify affected products more quickly while avoiding unnecessary disruption to produce categories not supported by the evidence.