As the rate of new cyclosporiasis cases slows in New Hampshire and nationally, consumers who avoided leafy greens for fear of explosive diarrhea may be asking: Is it OK to eat lettuce again?
The answer is probably, a food safety expert from Tufts Medical Center in Boston said Tuesday.
Contaminated iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms, linked to many cases nationally and locally, has been recalled and is no longer available on grocery shelves or in restaurants. But people can still get sick from other tainted products, according to Dr. Zoe Weiss, director of clinical microbiology at Tufts Medical Center.
“The bottom line is it’s fine to eat,” she said. “But the risk is not zero.”
Although food gets spot-tested within the supply chain, it’s impossible to make sure every single item is in the clear, Weiss said. Some contaminated products may also find their way into consumers’ shopping carts — and plates — before the Food and Drug Administration issues a recall.
That was the case at Cheshire Medical Center, where contaminated lettuce from Taylor Farms was served at the cafeteria before the FDA recalled the product last month. State health authorities say 39 of the 91 confirmed cases in New Hampshire were linked to that salad bar.
Other, more common infections, such as salmonella, can also lurk in the food chain and sicken people, Weiss added. It’s an inherent risk of being part of the global supply chain, she said.
Weiss said consumers can protect themselves by keeping current on the FDA’s recalled product alerts, by signing up for email updates here: fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts.
She also said people can practice common-sense food safety precautions, such as frequent handwashing, cleaning produce before eating it and processing raw meat away from produce meant to be eaten raw.
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