On a diet? Why not try some salad? Surely, nothing can go wrong with eating a salad. Experts say that eating salads almost every day may be the healthiest eating habit that a person can adopt, WebMD reports.
Not only that, but salads are also cool, crunchy, and fun to eat that even kids will enjoy it. Many people would customize their salad based on their preference and available fruits and vegetables.
But ready-mix salads have also become popular these days that anyone can just buy it in the supermarket. However, there might be some of them that could pose harm rather than health just like what happened to more than 200 people in eight states who got infected by a type of parasite.
Cyclospera-Infested Bagged Salad Mix Infected Eight States
CNN reports that there are 23 people hospitalized and 206 infected after eating a bagged salad mix. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention said that the cases, mostly in the Midwest, are infected with Cyclospera.
The US FDA has been warning the public to avoid eating certain store brand garden salad mixes sold by ALDI, HY-Vee, and Jewel-Osco, produced by Fresh Express and sold at Walmart stores. The mixes come in different brand names at various stores.
The ALDI product goes under the name Little Salad Bar Brand Garden Salad and was sold in Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
While HY-Vee was sold in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. On the other hand, Jewel-Osco salad was sold in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa under the name Signature Farm Brand Garden Salad.
But at Walmart, it is sold as Marketside brand Classic Iceberg Salad and was sold in Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. They may include red cabbage and carrots and have now been voluntarily recalled by each of the stores.
The CDC recommends checking the refrigerator in case they have purchased any of the recalled salads and should throw them away. Together with the FDA, the CDC will continue to investigate other products connected with the outbreak.
Outbreak of Cyclospora and Its Pathogenesis
Cyclospora cayetanensis is a protozoan parasite that is common in regions that are warm or tropical climates. This year's outbreak is one of several outbreaks that involved salad dishes.
In December 2000, Germany reported the same outbreak that infected 34 people who attended the luncheons at a German restaurant. The overall attack rate among its guests is 85% (34/40), and the only food associated with the outbreak were the two salad side dishes served from lettuce imported from southern Europe and spiced with fresh leafy herbs.
The first laboratory-confirmed result came 27 days after the peak of the outbreak, the time when the number of egg cells - still detectable in the stool samples was moderate to low.
Infection from cyclospora includes symptoms such as intermittent diarrhea associated with profound fatigue and anorexia. Some may also experience fever, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps.
Cyclospora affects the upper intestine wherein biopsies from the duodenum and jejunum of infected persons reveal flattening of the villi and inflammatory infiltrates of the basement membrane.
It is imperative that anyone got infected with the parasite need to seek emergency medical help to treat them and prevent further damage to the person. FDA has already released warnings against eating the bagged salad mix so that no more people will be infected.
