Cyclospora is just the tip of the iceberg. A parasite spread through human fecal contamination has sickened thousands…

Cyclospora is just the tip of the iceberg. A parasite spread through human fecal contamination has sickened thousands of Americans. One major cluster was traced to shredded iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico and served at Taco Bell, and distributed by Sysco to hundreds or thousands of food-service locations. But this is about much more than Taco Bell. 🧵

The lettuce was supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico and moved through a distribution system capable of reaching hundreds of restaurants across multiple states. One contaminated field or processing line can now expose thousands of people before anyone realizes there is a problem.

In the 1970s, Americans traveling in Mexico were routinely warned: Do not drink the water. Peel your fruit. Do not eat raw salads. Today, Americans eat Mexican-grown vegetables without leaving home or even thinking about it.

The United States now imports roughly half of its fresh fruit and one-fifth of its fresh vegetables. NAFTA accelerated the integration of Mexican produce into the American food supply. We gained strawberries in January and lettuce all winter. But what did we lose?

CDC researchers identified 606 outbreaks associated with leafy vegetables or leafy-based salads from 1973 through 2012. Before 1998: about 4 reported outbreaks per year. From 1998 through 2012: more than 33 per year. Better surveillance explains some of that increase. It does not explain everything.

The real burden is much larger than the official outbreak count. A 2024 analysis estimated that leafy greens cause as many as: • 2.3 million illnesses per year • $5.3 billion in annual economic costs Eating salad is no longer not risk-free.

Federal agencies now estimate that vegetable row crops, primarily leafy greens, account for nearly 68% of foodborne E. coli O157 illnesses. Beef is no longer the leading source. That should overturn much of what Americans think they know about foodborne disease.

Imported produce is not the entire problem. Several major romaine outbreaks were traced to California and Arizona, often near cattle operations and other potential sources of fecal contamination. A domestic label is no guarantee of safety. The larger problem is distance, scale, and centralization.

Big Ag mixes produce from multiple farms, washes it in centralized facilities, packages it in plastic, moves it across borders, and expects it to remain fresh for another week or two. It is an impressive logistical achievement. It is also remarkably fragile. Anyone remember the supply issues during COVID?

We rarely buy bagged salad anymore. Not because we live in fear of Cyclospora, but because growing greens is easy, inexpensive, and far more satisfying. They taste better. They are harvested minutes before dinner. We know the soil, the water, and exactly what was used to grow them.

Commercial agriculture often manages dirt. We try to grow soil. Healthy soil is alive with roots, bacteria, fungi, earthworms, insects, nematodes, and organisms that recycle nutrients in ways a bag of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium cannot replicate.

Every head of lettuce you grow is one less that depends on a supply chain you cannot see or control. Cyclospora will eventually leave the headlines. Another outbreak will replace it. The deeper lesson remains. Food security can begin with a raised bed outside your own back door. Read the full essay: malone.news/p/cyclospora-i…