Crudite Crisis: Parasite Found in Veggies Infects over 200
Del Monte prepared vegetables are the latest to cause illness.
Image: Getty Images/Jeffrey Greenberg
The good news: romaine is safe to eat again. The bad news: crudite is causing problems.
Following a month of bad news about lettuce contamination, Del Monte brand prepared vegetable trays are the newest casualty in foodborne illness outbreak.
Over the weekend, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control announced and began investigating the reported outbreak, caused by pre-packaged raw vegetables and dill-flavored dip.
Those who have consumed the produce from these packages, containing cut and washed carrots, cauliflower and broccoli, have become infected with Cyclospora, a parasite that attacks digestive tracts and causes cyclosporiasis.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the parasite has infected 212 people, causing symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and fatigue. Thankfully, no deaths have been reported.
Del Monte has now recalled three sizes of their vegetable trays that were sold at Kwik Trip and Kwik Star convenience stores in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin.
The FDA and the CDC are continuing to investigate the outbreak, which has hospitalized seven. Although the products in question expired on June 17th, consumers may just be experiencing symptoms now as the parasite remains in the body for several weeks.
According to the FDA, proper cooking lessens the possibility of contamination, so now’s a good time to cook up some grilled veggies while we wait out this outbreak.
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