Is it safe to eat lettuce? Cyclospora outbreak risk assessment for summer salads

Amid a multi-state cyclosporiasis outbreak in the US linked to leafy greens, Business Insider analyzes the safety of eating lettuce. The FDA retracted a positive test pointing to Taylor Farms as a source, calling it a false positive, though Taylor Farms' voluntary recall of Mexican-grown iceberg lettuce remains. Over 8,260 confirmed cases have been reported since May, concentrated in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, and Colorado. Infectious disease expert Dr. Tyler Evans advises that risk depends on location, health status, and preparation methods. The article categorizes risk into three tiers: lowest (cooked vegetables only), medium (whole heads of lettuce washed thoroughly), and high-risk (raw bagged pre-chopped lettuce). High-risk groups including the elderly, immunocompromised, pregnant women, and children under 2 are advised to avoid all leafy greens until fall. The cyclospora parasite thrives in hot weather, and the outbreak may last through August.