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(NEXSTAR) – A produce-linked parasite that can cause uncomfortable (and at times dangerous) bouts of “explosive” diarrhea is causing people to think twice before snacking on berries or mixing up a salad.
Thousands of people so far have fallen ill with cyclosporiasis, a gastrointestinal illness caused by the cyclospora parasite. The source of this year’s outbreak is not yet confirmed, but in years past the parasite has been found on fresh fruits and vegetables, like lettuce, salad greens, berries, cilantro, green onions, basil and snap peas.
People who consume produce tainted with the parasite may get stuck with weeks of watery diarrhea as well as “frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As the investigation continues, and case counts rise in at least 34 states, experts advise paying close attention to how you clean your fresh produce.
“Most of us should be fine washing our fruits and vegetables thoroughly and proceeding as usual,” Amira Roess, professor of global health and epidemiology at George Mason University told Nexstar.
Some are turning to vinegar, hoping it’ll give their produce wash an extra-effective boost. The evidence on vinegar is mixed, however.
A 2021 study looked at three methods of washing berries: rinsing them in cold water for one minute, swishing them in cold water for one minute then using a salad spinner, and washing them with a vinegar solution (then rinsing them fully with cold water).
For blueberries, the study found that using a salad spinner or vinegar wasn’t any more effective than just rinsing with cold water, which already removed an estimated 96% of cyclospora from the blueberries.
There was a difference when it came to raspberries. Rinsing with water alone only removed about 35% of the cyclospora, but using a vinegar solution or a salad spinner was much more effective (between 84% and 89%).
The study’s authors hypothesized the difference was because of raspberries’ bumpy and hairy surfaces, which “probably enable firmer adherence of the parasites.”
They concluded it wasn’t exactly clear why the salad spinner and the vinegar methods were more effective at removing the cyclospora. It could be that those two methods just resulted ina much more thorough wash.
“It is not clear whether the difference was due to the vinegar solution per se or due to the manual agitation, with the berries swished around in the bowl by hand,” they wrote.
The study didn’t look at salad greens or lettuce, which Michigan health authorities think may be tied to the 2026 outbreak.
What can you do to prevent consuming the parasite?
Dr. Erika Noel, an assistant professor at Hawaii’s medical school and a pediatrician, recommends washing your hands well with soap and water as you handle food. Hand sanitizer doesn’t actually kill cyclospora, but soap and water are pretty effective at removing it from your hands.
Noel also recommends that when washing items like cilantro and basil, separate the leaves. For green onions, cut off the roots, remove the outer layer and run them under water while rubbing the surface.
Peel fruits and vegetables as much as possible. For melons, scrub the outside before cutting through as the knife can carry germs from the rind into the fruit inside.
When in doubt, cooking produce to an internal temperature of 158 degrees Fahrenheitor higher will kill cyclospora.
For most people a thorough wash will reduce the risk of consuming the parasite, but some people should consider extra precautions, Roess said. “Those who are immunocompromised particularly if they live in areas with growing cyclospora outbreaks may want to consider sticking to fruits and vegetables that they can peel or cook.”
The states hit hardest by the outbreak so far are Michigan and New York, but case counts nearly everywhere were expected to rise as testing continues.
Even as the outbreak grows, it’s important to remember the overall risk of consuming the parasite is still low.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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