The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention is recalling three bagged salad mixes that may be linked to a Cyclospora outbreak in the Midwest, the agency announced on June 23. Cyclospora, a parasite that affects the intestinal tract, can cause diarrhea, nausea, cramping, and loss of appetite in infected people. (Here’s the full list of Cyclospora symptoms.) It can take up to two weeks for symptoms to begin. The recall affects Arkansas and states across the Midwest, with the CDC releasing specific guidelines by state and salad brand:
- ALDI Little Salad Bar brand Garden Salad sold in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin
- Hy-Vee brand 12-ounce bagged Garden Salad sold in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin
- Jewel-Osco Signature Farms brand 12-ounce bagged Garden Salad sold in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa
So far, 122 people with Cyclospora infections have reported eating bagged salad mixes before getting sick, all from Midwestern states. The CDC, the FDA, and state health officials are continuing to investigate the origin of the outbreak but have cited the three salad mixes as a “likely source.”
If you live in the affected states, the CDC recommends throwing away the recalled salad mixes, which contained carrots, red cabbage, and iceberg lettuce. If you don’t know whether your salad blend has been recalled, the agency said, throw it away without eating.
If you have symptoms of a Cyclospora infection, the CDC recommends talking to your doctor and writing down what you ate two weeks before you started feeling sick. You should also tell your local health department about your illness to help track the outbreak.