Doctors Urge Fully Cooked Meal Kits as Cyclosporiasis Cases Rise Nationwide

Q: Washing fresh produce won't kill this parasite. What is the only guaranteed method to make your food safe?

The only guaranteed way to make food safe from *Cyclospora* is thorough cooking. Health experts and the CDC say rinsing, careful washing, vinegar soaks, and chemical sanitizers may help reduce contamination but do not reliably kill the parasite. That is why raw produce such as salad greens, herbs, berries, and pre-cut fruit can remain risky during outbreaks. To destroy *Cyclospora*, food needs to be cooked, baked, or boiled to at least 158°F (70°C). Some guidance also notes that heating food to at least 60°C for five minutes can be effective, but the clearest safety standard is thorough cooking to 70°C or higher. In practical terms, that means the safest meal options are foods you can cook fully and serve hot, especially steaming hot dishes. Experts advising consumers on meal kits recommend choosing raw ingredients that will be thoroughly cooked at home, while being more cautious with ready-to-eat kits, salad bags, fresh herbs, and pre-cut produce that will not be reheated. If produce is meant to be eaten raw, washing is still recommended because it can lower exposure, but it is not a guarantee against this parasite.

3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jul 14

Doctors say meal kits remain generally safe if ingredients are refrigerated, kept separate and cooked thoroughly, but they urge consumers to favor hot-prep options over raw or ready-to-eat kits during the cyclosporiasis uptick.
The main concern is contaminated fresh produce: U.S. outbreaks have been tied to basil, cilantro, raspberries and other raw items, and the CDC says rinsing alone does not reliably remove the Cyclospora parasite.
Higher-risk meal kits include pre-cut fruit, salad bags, fresh herbs and refrigerated ready-to-eat ingredients such as deli meat, soft cheese, eggs, seafood or cooked pasta that may not be reheated.
Experts recommend whole produce washed and cut at home, plus meals built around meats, eggs and vegetables cooked steaming hot; Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal infection that can cause digestive symptoms for weeks if untreated.