Federal health officials have declared an end to the cyclosporiasis outbreak associated with shredded iceberg lettuce. The International Fresh Produce Association, which represents the entire fresh produce and floral supply chain, points to the close communication among the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the industry over the past two months.
“Seeing an official end to this outbreak is welcome news, and we are grateful to FDA and CDC for the care they brought to this investigation,” says Max Teplitski, chief science officer for IFPA. “This was a hard case. Cyclospora usually takes about a week to make someone sick, so investigators were working weeks behind the contamination, with the product long gone. Our teams stand ready to support and to work alongside the agencies, and we will keep at that work. We will not rest until we identify the root cause of this outbreak so that the lessons we learn prevent another event.”
Amid this outbreak, the association has continued to urge Congress and the administration to fully fund FDA’s food safety work, and it continues to support putting the Food Traceability Rule into effect without further delay.
“With the outbreak being declared over, consumers need to eat fruits and vegetables at pre-outbreak levels and beyond. At the same time, we want workable standards that reflect the realities of bringing fresh produce to market,” says IFPA CEO Cathy Burns. “Fresh produce supply chains are complex, and no single grower, company, restaurant or retailer can answer for the whole chain. We stand ready to support investigations by FDA, CDC and their partner agencies to identify the root cause. We have advocated for end-to-end traceability for years, and we will keep at it until traceability is implemented. We will continue advocating for investment in research and building a food safety culture where the entire supply chain holds itself and its partners accountable.”
Fresh fruits and vegetables remain among the healthiest foods available. IFPA says it will continue to publish what the evidence shows and what remains unknown and will keep working with regulators, researchers and members so the next investigation moves faster than this one.
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