NYT reports cyclospora likely entered food supply via human feces

scienceJul 21, 2026192,179

The New York Times reported that recent cyclospora outbreaks likely resulted from human feces contaminating produce, writing that the large number of cases suggests excrement entered the food system on a “surprising scale.” The outbreaks triggered a voluntary withdrawal of iceberg lettuce linked to Taylor Farms, with FDA notices tying product from a Central Mexico farm to distribution in 27 states and a recall notice dated July 20, 2026. CNN quoted a former federal official who said staffing cuts under the Trump administration gutted lab capacity needed to trace the outbreak, and Bloomberg and public-health commentary in sample posts noted the CDC fulfilled only about 40 percent of support requests from state and local partners in the prior year. Public-health posts and patient accounts emphasized the illness can cause severe diarrhea and dehydration; clinicians note cyclospora is treated with a 7 to 10 day course of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. The FDA said a false-positive lab sample does not change its ongoing outbreak investigation, and the agency continues tracing shipments and advising recalls. The NYT investigation and ongoing FDA work have prompted fresh scrutiny of produce traceability, farm sanitation, and federal public-health capacity to investigate foodborne parasites.

Litterbox Comics

@litterboxcomics.com

Thought this comic could do with a 2026 update! BONUS Panel below! 👇 #LettuceRecall #Cyclospora #ExplosiveDiarrhea

1911Yesterday

Litterbox Comics255

BONUS Panel! Unlock 20 never-before-seen comics for just $2 on my Patreon! www.patreon.com/litterboxcomics

Megadude X11

Hey, Pizza has: • Dairy • Grains • Fruit And can also have • Vegetables • Meat It's the perfect diet food.

Larry5

Looking to lose alarming amounts of weight extremely quickly? Have I got some GREAT news

my12qc4

Game of Thrones showed us what happens when you give an evil kid unlimited power.

Theopold "Ty" Bockyblock4

WHO is clicking on those hashtags

Fang Gator4

The world said "NO." And I mean, what can a mere mortal do against the world?

Peggy Stuart

@peggystuart.bsky.social

TRUMP CUT STAFF. AMERICANS PAID FOR IT! CNN: Trump’s brutal cuts gutted the very lab experts needed to trace the #Cyclospora outbreak hitting HALF the country. A former federal official says the “perfect storm” of cuts destroyed our ability to find the source. Call it what it is: pure negligence.

862h ago

Spocko

@spocko.bsky.social

@samseder.bsky.social we STILL don't know every place Taylor Farms shipped #Cyclospora tainted lettuce to, but we should. Trump's FDA told Congress to postponed a law passed to track it. So it wasn't just #DOGE cuts that led to sick people. @mattlech.bsky.social www.marlerblog.com/case-news/ta...

37Yesterday

Barbara Rybolt 🐸

@barbararybolt.bsky.social

#ProudBlue #Defend #Cyclospora I go to bed and wake up to discover the FDA screwed up about “who” is responsible for the parasite causing explosive diarrhea. It isnt the major Trump supporter - nope - even tho Taco Bell pulled all its lettuce. Hmm - I think I sense some skulduggery.

33Yesterday

Doremus J2

Just your basic Trump corruption

Sheryl with an S2

Just more proof Trump doesn’t care about anyone but himself.

Matty Mo1

I am never surprised. By anything. Angry. Logical. Sick. Tired. But never surprised. Ready to do whatever it takes.

Quoting this

Lily is anti-ICE, anti-fascist, anti-MAGA, anti-DSA7

This just tells me we all need to boycott Taylor Farms products. They paid off the government. That's all I need to know to know they cannot be trusted.

Leah

@leah.myatproto.social

hello, it appears Taylor Farms has been throwing money at MAGA so it can keep making diarrhea lettuce uninterrupted with traceability regulations. #MedSky 🩺 #Cyclospora #FoodSafety

26Yesterday

Trevon Logan

@trevondlogan.bsky.social

I am so afraid for our food supply. Truly frightened and worried. “Cyclospora Spreads Through Human Feces. How Did It Get Into Our Food Supply?” www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/w...

175h ago

Deborah Blum

@deborahb.bsky.social

"CDC's food safety budget has failed to keep pace with inflation... the agency reportedly fulfilled only about 40 percent of requests for support from state and local partners during the previous year."

94h ago

Naomi Ishisaka

@naomiishisaka.bsky.social

Today's column: "It’s not the first time we have seen foodborne illnesses in the U.S., but I worry that this outbreak is taking advantage of our weakened public health system." #cyclospora

12Yesterday

The_Lady_Red

@theladyred.bsky.social

yep "To clarify, this false-positive lab sample DOES NOT change the basis for FDA's ongoing outbreak investigation or the overwhelming epidemiological data supporting the current voluntary recall by Taylor Farms"

MEIDASTOUCH.COM, @MeidasTouch

March 2025: Taylor Farms contributes $1 million to Make America Great Again Inc., days after the FDA delays the Food Traceability Rule.
•
The FDA informs Taylor Farms that one of its iceberg lettuce products tested positive for cyclospora, prompting a voluntary recall.
• During the cyclospora outbreak: The New York Times reports Taylor Farms hires a former Trump White House official.
• Last week: Taylor Farms executives meet with White House and FDA officials, where the company challenges aspects of the government's outbreak conclusions, according to the New York Times.
• Now: Taylor Farms says the FDA apologized, calling the positive test a false positive and stating no Taylor Farms product has tested positive for cyclospora.
10:38 AM 20 Jul 26 • 257K Views

66h ago

Charlie4

also do not understand why people are still buying bagged lettuce. They don't even taste right

Lindsay Beyerstein

@beyerstein.bsky.social

"The large number of cases suggests that excrement entered the food system on a “surprising scale.”"

86h ago

Quoting this

Glen Stellmacher5

When I worked picking apples in Tonasket, on the first day of training, the top dude on the farm said the number one rule was don’t shit in the orchard. LOL, I thought, yea right, why would I do that? Hours later I was staring down a half mile long line of trees with no portapotty in sight…

Bellmora ❌👑

@bellmora.bsky.social

“The current case numbers — more than 6,000 people sickened in Michigan alone — suggest that human feces somehow got into our food system on a “surprising scale,” said Matthew Moore, a food safety microbiologist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.” 🎁 www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/w...

31h ago

Webgiant

@webgiant.bsky.social

Cyclospora: a parasite spread through food contamination by sewage water. Currently sickening people because Trump Admin stopped monitoring for cyclospora. Trump EPA: Allows sewage water to be spread on farming fields, coming in direct contact with food crops. 🤦‍♂️ www.theguardian.com/environment/...

37h ago

Lady Di 💙

@diannelittle.bsky.social

🚨 More interesting info! What to take and what not to take! 💊 #Cyclosporiasis #Cyclospora #Minterland 🤗💕 youtube.com/shorts/fq-mo...

5Yesterday

Daniel Kim, MD, DrPH

@socialepi.bsky.social

Note: You can treat a cyclospora infection with a 7-10 day course of Bactrim or Septra (1 tablet twice a day). #Cyclospora #IDSky #MedSky #PublicHealth

5Yesterday

Tina Webb

@laundryprncss.bsky.social

Hmmm…Seems there’s a bit more to the #cyclospora outbreak and #TaylorFarms

4Yesterday

1 source

nytimes.comCyclospora Spreads Through Human Feces. How Did It Get Into Our Food Supply?

NYT reports cyclospora likely entered food supply via human fecesscience

NYT reports cyclospora likely entered food supply via human feces

Related