A summer of recalls exposes holes in the nation’s food safety net

A summer of recalls — jalapenos, frozen berries, beef, sprouts, and a record-breaking cyclosporiasis outbreak tied to iceberg lettuce — has sickened thousands and killed at least two people, with over 17,000 confirmed cases and nearly 12,000 more under investigation since May. Federal officials trace the outbreak to processed lettuce from central Mexico distributed by Taylor Farms, which supplies Target, Taco Bell, Walmart, and Costco among others.

The recalls arrive alongside a 28% reduction in CDC staff and a 23% cut at the FDA since December 2024, plus a CDC parasite surveillance team downsized from 11 people to three. Experts including food microbiologist Jennifer McEntire say the cuts likely slowed the response, even if they didn't cause the outbreak itself.

The White House, through spokesperson Allison Schuster, says it has 'never cut FDA food inspectors or other frontline personnel' and that the government 'remains capable of robustly addressing any future outbreaks.' Foreign food facility inspections, meanwhile, fell to historic lows last year following the staffing cuts, and a food-tracking rule meant to speed outbreak response has been delayed.

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