Following multiple Cyclospora outbreaks this past summer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing ten planned activities to mitigate and prevent future Cyclospora outbreaks. The agency plans to carry out these activities between now and the beginning of the 2027 growing season. This announcement coincides with the conclusion of the agency’s multistate outbreak investigation of Cyclospora infections linked to iceberg lettuce and underscores that the FDA’s work to address Cyclospora is far from over.
The activities the FDA plans to conduct in advance of the 2027 growing and harvesting season are focused on surveillance, outreach, and finding innovative solutions to prevent Cyclospora contamination of fresh produce. As part of these activities, the FDA will publish an Outbreak Investigation Report that will summarize the multistate outbreak investigation and provide recommendations to help mitigate and prevent future outbreaks. The agency also will increase surveillance of commodities historically associated with Cyclospora, conduct additional outreach and public engagement to help growers adopt practices that reduce the risk of Cyclospora contamination, and update its Cyclospora Prevention, Response and Research Action Plan to lay the groundwork for stronger prevention and response in future growing seasons.
To view the full list of the ten activities the FDA plans to conduct to mitigate Cyclospora contamination of fresh produce before the 2027 growing season, visit the Cyclospora post-response activities page.