Is Our Food System Becoming Less Safe?
Earlier this summer, iceberg lettuce grown in Mexico by fresh produce behemoth Taylor Farms was linked to the cyclospora outbreak that has infected a historic number of Americans. Since the start of the outbreak, consumers have been more cautious about their food purchases, sometimes opting out of fresh produce.
On a large scale, this caution has manifested in lettuce and produce sales plummeting, with farms in California’s Salinas Valley abandoning crops and cutting staff, according to the New York Times.
Sales of pre-packaged salads have fallen, and food chains that specialize in salads, or offer lettuce on items, have also seen a dip in sales.
Instead, consumers are turning to locally grown produce sold at farmers’ markets. Some markets across the country report seeing foot traffic increase by as much as a 30 percent since the start of the outbreak.
These trends signal a growing distrust in the U.S. food supply’s safety.