{
  "id": 28367,
  "title": "Epic diarrhea outbreak has 40% of Americans avoiding fruits and veggies",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/07/27/epic-diarrhea-outbreak-has-40-of-americans-avoiding-fruits-and-veggies",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-07-27T20:42:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ars Technica Health",
    "slug": "ars-technica-health",
    "url": "https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/07/epic-diarrhea-outbreak-has-40-of-americans-avoiding-fruits-and-veggies/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A nationwide outbreak of severe diarrhea has caused a significant number of Americans to avoid consuming fruits and vegetables, according to the Food and Drug Administration's ongoing investigation. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has made it a priority to promote the consumption of fresh produce, but the current outbreak is making that recommendation difficult to implement. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recorded a record-breaking total of over 11,500 confirmed and probable cases across 41 states, with more than 300 patients requiring hospitalization. This figure is likely to be an underreporting of the actual number of cases.\n\nThe primary source of the outbreak is believed to be Cyclospora, a unicellular parasite that spreads through human feces onto fresh produce. The CDC has traced the source of six outbreaks to various types of fresh produce, including leafy greens, fresh basil, fresh cilantro, snow peas, green onions, and raspberries. The largest outbreak is linked to iceberg lettuce produced by Taylor Farms, which was distributed to several companies, including Taco Bell restaurants. This outbreak has resulted in a large number of cases, with Michigan alone reporting 9,253 cases as of July 27.\n\nWhile five of the outbreaks have no identified source, the remaining outbreak is linked to Taylor Farms' iceberg lettuce. The FDA is actively investigating the source of these outbreaks to prevent further spread of the parasite. Despite the widespread impact of the outbreak, it remains to be seen if Americans will be convinced to consume fruits and vegetables again, given the severity of the symptoms experienced by those affected.",
  "summary": "Kennedy has focused on nutrition but has neglected food safety, critics say.",
  "key_points": [
    "Nationwide outbreak causes 40% of Americans to avoid fruits and veggies",
    "Cyclospora parasite linked to 41 states' over 11,500 cases",
    "Taylor Farms' iceberg lettuce identified as primary outbreak source"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}