Bagged Salad Contaminated With Parasite Sickens 122 People In 7 States

A recalled bagged salad distributed to a dozen Midwestern states by grocery stores has sickened 122 people in seven states and sent 19 to the hospital, the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday. The salad distributed by Hy-Vee, Jewel-Osco and Aldi grocery stores is contaminated with cyclospora, a parasite that can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, and fatigue.

The salad mix containing carrots, red cabbage, and iceberg lettuce is packaged as Hy-Vee Brand Garden Salads, Jewel-Osco Signature Farms Brand Garden Salads and ALDI Little Salad Bar Brand Garden Salads. All have been recalled and consumers are advised not to eat them.

The CDC said the highest number of illnesses is reported in Iowa with 54. Illinois has 30. Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin also have reported illnesses, which were first reported on May 11 and have been as recent as June 15.

The salads were sold in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

The CDC said it continues to investigate and is working to determine if other recent cases of cyclospora infection are linked to contaminated ingredients in these bagged salad mixes.

First published on June 24, 2020 / 6:18 AM

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