The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a partial ban against cilantro that comes from the border, particularly Puebla, after recurrent outbreaks in certain states.
The issue stems from cyclosporiasis outbreaks that have been happening in a number of states, especially Texas, since 2012. It has been reappearing for the last 2 years and has been described as seasonal. As of July 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed another ongoing outbreak in the states of Wisconsin and Texas.
Cyclosporiasis is a disease caused by Cyclospora cayetanensis. When it is able to enter the body, it can lead to gastrointestinal problems including diarrhea. Although there has been no reported death ever since the outbreaks began, a number of patients have been admitted to emergency. Many of these experienced the symptoms after they have consumed fresh cilantro.
The parasite is not endemic in the United States, which means it should have begun in another country, preferably those with tropical climates. Further, the pathogen can gain entry when it is found in oocysts that contaminate either food or drink or both.
Based on the investigations of CDC and the state health officials affected by the outbreak, fresh cilantro that comes from Mexico, especially Puebla, may be the culprit.
During an on-site inspection of the growing fields, U.S. health investigators, along with health authorities in Mexico, had discovered the presence of toilet paper and human feces in the area. Immature oocysts are expelled by the human body via excrement and may develop and grow outside the host.
They also found that among the 11 farms they inspected in Puebla, at least 7 of them had poor sanitary conditions including no running water and soap in the bathroom. Some of the farms also didn't have any toilet.
Cilantros from Mexico will be contained in the border until August. Those that have been produced from Puebla will need both inspection and certification while cilantros in other Mexican states will require certification that they are not from Puebla before they can cross the border.
In the meantime, restaurants in the country that offer dishes with cilantro wish to assure the public their produce didn't come from the borders but are usually grown in the States.