Bagged Salad Removed from Supermarkets after Making Consumers Sick

Bagged salad mixes sold at grocery stores were recalled after being possibly contaminated with infectious parasites. The affected products were distributed to 10 US states and sold at grocery chains Hy-Vee, Jewel-Osco, and ALDI. The mixes, which contained carrots, iceberg lettuce, and red cabbage, were produced by Fresh Express, a company that manufactures ready-to-eat salads. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 122 people got sick in July after eating one of the salads, and 19 were hospitalized. The CDC first reported the contamination in June when it confirmed 76 cases of cyclosporiasis, a mild illness caused by the parasite cyclospora. This parasite enters the body when contaminated food or water is ingested. Some symptoms of the illness, which may last for more than a month, include severe diarrhea and loss of weight and appetite. According to experts, the illness usually goes away on its own, but some immunocompromised people may need to be treated with prescribed antibiotics. The president of Fresh Express said that the company is working together with the Food and Drug Administration to determine the source of the outbreak. In the meantime, the CDC advises people who purchased the recalled salad mixes to throw away any leftovers even if they had not gotten sick after eating the products. If consumers are unsure whether the bagged salad mixes they bought are part of the recall, the CDC recommends disposing of them to be safe.