The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia is the cause of a cyclosporiasis outbreak impacting more than 1,600 people. San Diego health officials said Thursday they had not seen any local cases of cyclosporiasis linked to the outbreak.
The infection can spread through contaminated food or water, particularly fresh produce. Symptoms include diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, nausea and fatigue, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Food safety concerns around an outbreak like this can sometimes lead people to make choices that affect their nutrition, said Angelea Bruce, an oncology dietitian at Sharp Memorial Hospital.
“We're all vulnerable to that because something that we start doing in a moment of panic or crisis. It can start to become a habit or it can sort of start to develop these food fears that we don't want to go down that path,” Bruce said.
Fruits and vegetables provide important nutrients, including fiber.
“Ironically, it supports our immune system, so it feeds those healthy bacteria in our intestines,” she said.
Produce also contains vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.
“Phytonutrients are these compounds that are in foods that have antioxidant properties, anti-inflammatory properties,” Bruce said.
Removing produce from the diet can be especially concerning for children, older adults and people with certain health conditions, she said.
“Kids and the elderly tend to eat less food than, you know, everybody else kind of on the age spectrum, so, you know, just removing one food group from that population can really remove an entire source of calories,” Bruce said.
Instead of avoiding fresh fruits and vegetables, Bruce recommended simple food safety steps, including washing hands and rinsing produce under running water with a produce brush to remove dirt.
Consumers do not need special products to clean their food, she said.
“We don't want you to use soap or bleach or anything like that,” she said, “The studies show that just running water and a little bit of friction has about the same outcome.”
San Diego County has reported eight cases of cyclosporiasis so far this year, which health officials said is within the range typically seen annually. Health officials said anyone experiencing symptoms such as prolonged diarrhea, nausea, fatigue or weight loss should contact a health care provider.
