News Why is lettuce a good carrier of cyclospora? Here’s what Canadians should know as explosive diarrhea-causing parasite infects thousands in largest U.S. outbreak Lettuce and leafy greens have a large surface area, a crated texture, and a tendency to be eaten raw. By Mike Pearson Insidehaltoncom Friday, July 24, 2026

Article link: Health officials say one way to avoid cyclospora is to consume fresh produce grown in Canada, including romaine and iceberg lettuce, which is now available from Canadian growers. The source of a cyclospora outbreak that has led to a U.S. lettuce recall and reports of explosive diarrhea across more than 30 U.S. states remains a mystery, but investigators remain focused on products imported from central Mexico. Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services previously stated lettuce or salad greens may be a potential source of the outbreak. During previous cyclospora outbreaks in the U.S. and Canada, the cyclospora parasite was detected on bagged salad mixes and kits, fresh cilantro (coriander leaves), fresh basil, raspberries, snow peas and green onions. The Public Health Agency Spokesperson Mark Johnson said your risk of being infected with cyclospora may increase if you eat contaminated fresh foods imported from tropical and subtropical areas where cyclospora is common such as Peru, Cuba, India, Nepal, Mexico, Guatemala, Southeast Asia and Dominican Republic. The cyclospora parasite gets into sources of water when feces from infected people enter the water supply. Food can then become contaminated when this contaminated water is used on crops and in food processing and packaging. Johnson said consuming fresh produce grown in Canada, especially during the spring and summer months when an increase in Cyclospora infections, is a good way to reduce your risk. What is cyclospora? Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that causes the intestinal illness cyclosporiasis. Symptoms include watery or explosive diarrhea, abdominal bloating and stomach cramps. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said there is no evidence that products implicated in U.S. outbreak were distributed in Canada. The PHAC told Metroland in an email it is not investigating any outbreaks of cyclospora in Canada. But health officials in Quebec have reported an increase in cyclosporiasis since the start of 2026, with 107 cases this year, compared to 30 during the same period in 2025. However, health officials said Quebec’s cyclospora cases appear to be linked to exposure during travel, primarily to Mexico — not the current U.S. outbreak. The PHAC said Canadians can reduce the risk of becoming ill with a cyclospora infection by following safe food handling practices for produce, cooking produce imported from countries where cyclospora is found and by consuming fresh produce grown in Canada. Canadian-grown romaine and iceberg lettuce are now available in major grocery stores, which can lower your risk of coming into contact with the parasite. Taylor Farms lettuce recalled in the U.S. Taylor Farms lettuce remains the focus of an investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) despite a “false positive” test for the cyclospora parasite last weekend. So far there have been no lettuce recalls announced by the CFIA or Health Canada. In a July 20 X post, the FDA said the false positive lab sample does not change the basis for its ongoing outbreak investigation or the “overwhelming epidemiological data” that supports an ongoing U.S. recall of iceberg lettuce from central Mexico. The FDA said its traceback investigation and outbreak data “continue to converge on shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms locations in central Mexico.” The agency added it is working with federal and state partners to investigate the outbreak and ensure products implicated have been removed from the market. Taco Bell Canada addresses cyclospora parasite concerns after massive U.S. lettuce recall News Taco Bell Canada addresses cyclospora parasite concerns after massive U.S. lettuce recall Why is lettuce prone to cyclospora? A 2020 research paper by Agni Hadjilouka, assistant professor of microbiology at European University Cyprus, and Dimitris Tsaltas, a professor in the Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science at Cyprus University of Technology, states cyclospora is “highly resistant” to disinfectants used in the food industry. Lettuce and leafy greens have a large surface area, a crated texture, and a tendency to be eaten raw. The parasite cyclospora cayetanensis, which causes cyclosporiasis, attaches easily to the sticky, uneven surface of lettuce. The parasite is easily ingested, as lettuce is rarely cooked to the 70 C temperature required to kill the parasite. The parasite can be spread through irrigation water contaminated with human waste. Which foods brought into Ontario kitchens are most at risk to carry the explosive diarrhea-causing cyclospora parasite — and why washing imported produce in Canada isn’t always enough News Which foods brought into Ontario kitchens are most at risk to carry the explosive diarrhea-causing cyclospora parasite — and why washing imported produce in Canada isn’t always enough Should Canadians worry about cyclospora on lettuce? Infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch told CTV News people can ingest the cyclospora parasite “almost exclusively” through contaminated food or water. Imported berries and leafy vegetables like lettuce or herbs may carry the parasite, if they come from South or Central America, where the parasite is endemic. Washing produce might not be enough Ontario food safety expert and University of Guelph professor Keith Warriner told Metroland that washing produce isn’t always enough to get rid of all pathogens and parasites. Warriner noted cyclospora is not common in Canada and the cases that do occur are typically travel-related and related to food-borne outbreaks linked with imported fresh produce. Bogoch said Canadians should be aware of but not necessarily concerned about cyclospora. “We have the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Public Health Agency of Canada that are really on this,” he said. The CFIA has a surveillance program specifically for imported berries and leafy vegetables and officials screen for cyclospora, Bogoch added. So while Canada has had small outbreaks in the past, impacted products are typically identified quickly and pulled from the market, he added. The CFIA said in a July 17 email it continues to monitor the cyclospora situation closely in collaboration with U.S., federal and provincial partners and will take appropriate action to protect Canadians if a food safety risk is identified. Should Ontario be worried about Quebec’s rising cyclospora cases? Here’s the latest advice from health officials News Should Ontario be worried about Quebec’s rising cyclospora cases? Here’s the latest advice from health officials How to check for recalls in Canada If a recall is requested, the CFIA will notify the public through the federal government’s recalls and safety alerts page. Consumers are also encouraged to sign up for food recall notifications. With files from Evelyn Harford A.M. He