Food-safety experts are encouraging consumers to continue purchasing and eating fruits and vegetables, both from grocery stores and farmers' markets, despite concerns over the Cyclospora outbreak. "Don't quit eating fruits and vegetables," advised food-safety expert Bill Rohde, though he also noted that individuals can take precautions to reduce their risk of contracting Cyclospora and other foodborne pathogens.
Rohde and other experts recommend that consumers opt for whole fruits and vegetables over pre-cut, bagged, or boxed options. Bill Marler, a food-safety lawyer, explained that centralized processing, such as chopping, washing, mixing, and packaging, has the potential to spread contamination from a small amount of produce to a much larger batch.
Thorough washing of all produce under running water is a key recommendation from experts. For harder fruits and vegetables like melons and cucumbers, scrubbing is advised. Standard food-safety practices, such as keeping raw meat and vegetables separate during food preparation, should also be followed.
Cooking produce to an internal temperature of at least 158°F (70°C) can effectively kill Cyclospora. Rohde indicated that he has been cooking most of his vegetables recently and has increased the vigor with which he washes produce.