Wake County has reported over 100 cases of the intestinal illness Cyclospora since January, raising alarm among consumers about potential food safety risks. However, NC State food science experts say there’s no evidence to warrant widespread panic.

Fernanda Santos, director of Undergraduate Programs for Bioprocessing Science and an assistant teaching professor, said Cyclospora outbreaks are often caused by feces contaminating the water used in irrigating produce.

“Cyclospora is a parasite, and it can be found in several areas, like in the environment,” Santos said. “The problem is, it can also be found in the water and the water can contaminate food.”

Santos said the symptoms of a Cyclospora infection are in line with other foodborne illnesses and can include cramps, nausea, gastrointestinal symptoms and fatigue. However, Santos doesn’t consider the illness to be severe. Despite many cases, there are only ever a few fatalities.

“I would consider Cyclospora in my high morbidity, low mortality,” Santos said. “So it’s not really serious, but the problem is, as long as people have access to the source of contamination, you’re going to see people getting sick.”

According to the CDC, a Cyclospora infection is treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, more commonly known as Bactrim, Septra or Cotrim.

Lynette Johnston, assistant professor and food safety extension specialist, said this outbreak is nothing to be more concerned about than in the past.

“In the past few years, we’ve seen an uptick of Cyclospora cases with the consumption of fresh produce,” Johnston said. “That’s sort of a normal uptick that we’ve seen throughout several years now.” 

Johnston said growers follow certain steps to prevent contamination and reduce the chances of infection from the start.

“The way we reduce the risk of Cyclospora in fresh produce is through the use of good agricultural practices,” Johnston said. “So growers want to assure that they’re reducing the risk of their irrigation water from being contaminated.” 

Chip Simmons, area specialized agent of agriculture and fresh produce food safety of Eastern North Carolina, educates growers on food safety. He said it’s important to note that Cyclospora is only found in human feces, emphasizing the importance of hygienic employees.

“Cyclospora Cayetanensis is the human pathogen that’s responsible for human illnesses, and the only known host for that are humans,” Simmons said. “So animal manure has nothing to do with how Cyclospora moves around.”

Simmons said a way to mitigate the spread of contaminated feces is by educating growers on proper sanitation.

To do this, Simmons said after conducting workshops that train growers on food safety, the On-Farm Readiness Review Program then visits farms, reviews growers’ practices and sees how they’re meeting safety requirements.

“The handling of those manures might impact produce safety, how water is used on the farm,” Simmons said. “The new requirements for understanding how pathogens can be transferred through water, and then, if they use a packing house to actually pack their produce, cleaning and sanitation within that packing.”

After harvesting, Clinton Stevenson, associate professor of food, bioprocessing and nutrition sciences, said manufacturing facilities then follow Good Manufacturing Practices.

“Good Manufacturing Practices … having a training program for employees that teaches them the importance of simple things like washing our hands, not showing up to work sick with [a] communicable disease that could end up on food,” Stevenson said.

Beyond the precautions taken by employees themselves, Stevenson said the facilities the produce goes to are regulated as well.

“It’s also having a hygienic environment, working in a facility that was designed for food safety, so things are cleanable, having equipment that is easy to clean and sanitize as well, making sure the roof doesn’t leak so we don’t get water contaminated water into the product,” Stevenson said.

K.P. Sandeep, department head of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, said produce undergoes a different process than meat, which can concern some consumers.

“Canned food, aseptically processed foods, have what we call a ‘kill step,’” Sandeep said. “So even if your product has got some contamination, to begin with, you have a kill step, which might be a heat process to inactivate the microorganisms.”

However, Sandeep said produce must follow certain regulations to minimize or eliminate contamination as well, and is not automatically less safe than products that undergo a kill step.

“[Inspectors] take a look at the growing conditions, take a look at the water or irrigation practices, how pest control is done to ensure that you’ve got safe growing environment,” Sandeep said. “Then, after harvesting, when you go into the processing facility, what is your protocol for washing and ensuring the cleanliness of the produce?”

Johnston said it’s important consumers aren’t afraid to eat produce because of the headlines.

“Overall — fresh produce, it’s safe to consume; and know that our farmers, our growers, are working hard to keep those products safe,” Johnston said.