Cyclospora outbreak puts food safety in midterm debate

A record-scale cyclospora outbreak and prominent food recalls have made food safety a political issue ahead of the November midterm elections, while federal officials and public health experts disagree over whether staffing and policy changes have weakened the government’s response. The available information does not establish that those changes caused the outbreak. The outbreak caused nearly 20,000 laboratory-confirmed illnesses from May through August, compared with 1,180 during the same months of 2025, according to figures attributed to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reports describe it as the largest recorded outbreak of the parasite. The source of contamination and how it was identified were not established in the material reviewed. About 200 food recalls had been reported so far in 2026, roughly matching the number at the same point in 2025, according to Public Interest Research Group data cited in the reporting. That figure alone does not establish whether food is becoming less safe. Recalls may be precautionary, and one contamination event can prompt multiple recalls as affected ingredients appear in other products.