Presently, there is an active egg recall affecting more than 19 million eggs sold in multiple states due to possible salmonella contamination. At the same time, we are learning about an outbreak of cyclosporiasis caused by tainted lettuce that has now been reported in over 41 states, including Delaware. What do we need to know about this news?

First come some definitions, starting with salmonella, which is a group of bacteria that typically cause gastrointestinal illness and are commonly transmitted through contaminated food, water or animals. Symptoms usually appear from six to 72 hours after exposure. While salmonella is not typically dangerous in healthy people, some can become very ill without treatment, especially young children, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals.

The issue has been traced back to white shell eggs and brown cage-free shell eggs distributed and subsequently recalled by Midwest Poultry Services. The eggs were sold in bulk packaging for food service as well as one-dozen carton packages for consumers. While these eggs from Texas were found across the Southwest, the Centers for Disease Control is also tracing outbreaks reported in other parts of the country.

The second recall is due to cyclospora, a parasite that causes extreme gastrointestinal distress. Taylor Fresh Foods of Guanajuato, Mexico, voluntarily recalled all iceberg lettuce products they identified as sourced from central Mexico. These were primarily food service packages of shredded lettuce and lettuce blends, but also included the Marketside brand of consumer bagged lettuce sold at Walmart. They also supply several national chain restaurants.

Symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, fatigue and loss of appetite; these will appear within a week of consuming affected food. Most standard tests don’t screen for this parasite, so if you think you may have been infected, you will need to request testing. Healthy individuals will recover without treatment, but others may need a course of targeted medicine, as was the case for a colleague’s partner.

There are a few simple things to keep in mind when it comes to food safety. Wash your hands, wash your cutting boards and knives, and wash your eggs and your produce, even if you plan to remove the rind or peel the skin from avocados, bananas, melons, onions or oranges. When you slice through unwashed skin, bacteria or residues can transfer from the knife into the edible portion.

Select whole heads of lettuce instead of bagged lettuce or salad mixes. Bags of lettuce might combine lettuce from different sources, increasing the chance of contamination. The chopping or shredding process and storage in the bag itself are also more conducive to microbial growth than the intact head, from which you can discard the outer leaves and rinse the ones inside. 

Finally, consider the growers from whom you are purchasing your food. Vendors at our local farmers markets offer foods that travel directly from their nearby fields, eliminating multistate transit and massive batch mixing that can spread outbreaks in commercial supply chains. You can tell how much local farmers care about their products by the clean and decorative displays at their booths. You can also learn how quickly the offerings have come to market by the “just picked” signs.

To serve some farm-fresh eggs like the ones in the photo, along with triple-washed arugula, consider the following recipe for scrambled eggs and wilted arugula. Alternatively, create a frittata that features cherry tomatoes and feta cheese. Here’s to food safety!

Arugula Scramble

1 T butter
4 eggs
1 C baby arugula
3 T grated Parmesan cheese
salt & pepper, to taste

Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Whisk the eggs until smooth and pour into the pan. Stir gently as eggs cook. Just before they set, scatter arugula and cheese over the eggs and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Yield: 2 servings.

Arugula Frittata

1 T olive oil
1 C halved cherry tomatoes
3 C baby arugula
4 eggs
1/4 C crumbled feta cheese
salt & pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add tomatoes and arugula; sauté until arugula wilts, about 3 minutes. Whisk the eggs until smooth and pour into skillet. Sprinkle with feta cheese; cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Yield: 2 servings.