I was staring at the shredded lettuce on my plate in a Mexican restaurant the other evening.

My husband and I were sitting in nearly the same booth where we had our first date about 35 years ago. We had never gotten sick in this restaurant.

We all have been bombarded with news reports about cyclospora (“cyclo-SPORA”) in shredded lettuce.

I was seriously thinking about the lettuce, so I pushed it aside. I should have asked the kitchen staff to leave the lettuce off my plate.

The rest of the food was flaming hot. If any “invisible bugs” had jumped into the tomato sauce and cheese, they were exterminated. These parasites are killed at about 158 degrees Fahrenheit.

“What are you doing?” my husband asked me as I rearranged my plate.

“The potential for ‘explosive diarrhea’ from shredded lettuce isn’t exactly enticing,” I replied.

My husband laughed, but he pushed his lettuce aside, too. 

Our conversation was certainly unappetizing table talk, but we are both scientists used to discussing food and other news topics.

Cyclospora is a parasite that can be found in unsafe water or shed in the feces of infected people.  

Symptoms usually begin within about a week, but they can show up two days to two weeks after eating the food. Besides diarrhea, the symptoms range from bloating and cramping to dehydration and fatigue.

Consumers do not always know exactly the origin of their food. It can pass through many levels of growing, processing and packaging before it reaches consumers.

The company that processed and packaged the contaminated shredded lettuce had obtained the lettuce from central Mexico, according to government sources. Investigators often examine water sources used during growing and processing because Cyclospora can be spread through contaminated water.

The U.S. has many safety features built into growing and packaging fresh fruits and vegetables of all types. Employees at large U.S. companies are trained on the Produce Safety Rule of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

Water is so important to food safety that the FSMA produce safety course devotes two modules to water safety. My midwestern colleagues and I have helped teach hundreds of people about these concepts.

Past cyclosporiasis outbreaks have been associated with leafy greens, bagged salads, fresh herbs such as cilantro and parsley, berries such as raspberries, and vegetables, including green onions and snow peas.

What’s a savvy consumer to do?

• Be aware of outbreaks and food recalls.
• Do not eat recalled food. Return it to the store for a refund or toss it.
• Visit a farmers market and buy locally.

The next evening, I walked out to my garden and harvested some leaf lettuce. During the growing time, we watered the lettuce with potable (drinkable) city water. I rinsed it under cool, running water in a colander in my kitchen. We do not recommend using soap.

Iceberg lettuce provides some vitamin C but little else. Opt for more nutritious, darker green spinach, Swiss chard and romaine lettuce, which are rich in vitamins A, K and C, fiber and other nutrients.

Learn more about safe handling of fruits and vegetables by reviewing “Safe Handling of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables,” available from the North Dakota State University Extension website at www.ag.ndsu.edu/food (click on Food Safety).

Enjoy some fresh leafy greens, harvested locally and rinsed thoroughly. Here’s a delicious, creamy salad dressing as a low-calorie, low-sodium accompaniment.

Raspberry Salad Dressing

1 cup plain yogurt
½ cup fresh raspberries
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons table sugar (or to taste)

In a blender, combine the yogurt, raspberries, vinegar and sugar. Blend until smooth and refrigerate until chilled.

Makes eight servings. Each serving has 35 calories, 0 grams (g) fat, 2 g protein, 7 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber and 25 milligrams sodium.

(Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., is a North Dakota State University Extension food and nutrition specialist and professor in the Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences.)

NDSU Agriculture Communication – July 23, 2026

Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, 701-231-7187, julie.garden-robinson@ndsu.edu

Editor: Dominic Erickson, 701-231-5546, dominic.erickson@ndsu.edu