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Okay, salad lovers, quick PSA before you build your next bowl: there's a lettuce situation happening, and it's actually kind of a big deal.
A multi-state outbreak of cyclosporiasis (say that five times fast) has spread to nine states, and the culprit is one of the most basic salad ingredients out there: iceberg lettuce.
So what's going on?
The CDC and FDA have traced it back to iceberg lettuce grown and processed by Taylor Farms de Mexico, which has issued a recall. Cyclospora is a tiny parasite, but it causes a big problem: watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, and fatigue that can hang around for weeks. Not the souvenir you want from taco night.
Michigan alone has logged more than 3,000 cases, with confirmed cases across nine states total; serious enough that chains like Taco Bell have already pulled lettuce off their menus.
Why you should actually care
This isn't just a restaurant thing, iceberg is everywhere in home kitchens too. And since symptoms can take a week or more to show up, you could eat contaminated lettuce and feel fine; until you suddenly really don't. USA Today and OPB both report people are already buying less lettuce and steering clear of restaurants without a
confirmed clean supply. That's not paranoid, that's just reading the room while the FDA's investigation is still active.
Okay but what do I put in my salad now?
Salad season isn't canceled, we recommend just reaching for these instead:
- Romaine, kale, butter lettuce, or little gems
- Baby spinach or arugula
- Shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix (honestly tastes better than iceberg)
- Or skip lettuce entirely and go grain-based. A bulgur salad is hearty, satisfying, and nowhere near this recall
Whatever green (or grain) you land on, give it a good rinse and check the FDA/CDC links for current recalled lots before you shop.
The bottom line: swap in a different green (or a quinoa salad) tonight, keep an eye on CDC updates, and you really won't miss iceberg one bit.
More Iceburg Free Salad Options:
