Protecting Consumers from Foodborne Cyclospora Parasite

0:00Carol Massar:As a top-performing advisor, you demand top-performing funds. That's why Fidelity's 1 ,000 experienced research professionals combine deep insights and advanced analytics to deliver consistent outcomes for clients across market cycles. Explore 300-plus Morningstar-rated 4 - and 5-star funds at i.fidelity.com slash top funds. Across all fund share classes of Fidelity, Fidelity Advisor Shares, and Fidelity ETFs as of 6-15-2026, past performance is no guarantee of future results. So there's a lot of noise about AI, but time's too tight for more promises. So let's talk about results. At IBM, we work with our employees to integrate technology right into the systems they need.

0:40Now, a global workforce of 300 ,000 can use AI to fill their HR questions, resolving 94 % of common questions. Not noise. Proof of how we can help companies get smarter by putting AI where it actually pays off, deep in the work that moves the business. Let's create smarter business.

1:27Carol Massar:IBM. dot com. Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news. You're listening to Bloomberg Business Week with Carol Masser and Tim Stenevek on Bloomberg Radio. Something that we have been talking about in a very concerned way around the newsroom is this outbreak of a parasite. We've seen some Stocks actually move on. I think it was late yesterday. Sweetgreen, Yum, owner of Taco Bell, Chipotle, some movements lower in the trade. This is as U.S. regulators trace the outbreak of this parasite to a shredded iceberg lettuce that has been served at Taco Bell restaurants and identifying a single supplier as the apparent source.

2:14Carol Massar:So you said you eat a lot of salads. Have you stopped eating salads? I stopped eating salads. And I don't know, when can I eat salads again? Right. Like, what do you have cilantro? Like, is it over? What do you have to be concerned about, right? Yeah, exactly. Well, that's why we thought it's time to talk to a doctor and an expert who knows something about it. If you're worried and kind of who isn't. With us, delighted to have with Emily and myself, Dr. William Schaffner. He is a professor of preventive medicine in the Department of Health Policy, as well as professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, joining us from Nashville.

2:51Carol Massar:Dr. Schaffner, it is great to have you here with us. Um, we have seen Michigan report over 5 ,000 infections tied to this parasite. We're worried here in New York. How dangerous is it? Well, ladies, it's good to be with you. We seem to be getting to the end of this outbreak because, as you were saying, the CDCs and the state health department disease detectives have implicated shredded iceberg lettuce from a particular supplier who got their lettuce from a particular farm in Mexico as the source of this parasitic infection. So I hope it's coming to an end pretty soon. Okay, but just because they've identified one source, does that mean that raspberries, for example, are in the clear or is there a chance that this had spread from food to food?

3:50well what we know is what we know and certainly shredded lettuce which is the sort of produce that has been the source of cyclospora in the past has now been implicated whether that's the whole story we're not entirely sure i think i still think it's a good idea if you bring produce into the house, wash it thoroughly, brush it off if you can. And as the saying goes, wash it, peel it, or cook it. All right.

4:26Carol Massar:I've got a list now of things to do. You know, I do wonder though, you know, is this happening more frequently or no? Just sometimes this just happens when it comes to food production. Well, you know, in the United States, we have local food producers, but we also have very large national distribution of food. And so, on occasion, when some food item is contaminated that's nationally distributed, you can suddenly get infections that are spread over a wide swath of the country. Back in the old days, 1930s, 40s, and 50s, when most of the food was locally grown and used, foodborne outbreaks were more localized.

5:15Now that we have widespread national distribution, often from international sources, indeed, you can get foodborne outbreaks that are spread over a much larger geographic area and involve more people.

5:31Carol Massar:It just felt like this one was in the headlines more. I felt like, I mean, usually in the summer, I don't avoid certain fruits and vegetables. This felt scarier than other times when you hear about a parasite. It almost felt closer to home. Was the fear justified? Did the numbers actually justify, you know, people completely cutting salad out of their diet for two weeks? Well, I think certainly in the affected states, the major affected states, there were many cases. This was a large outbreak. Each year, late spring, early summer, we have some cyclospora cases that occur. But this is prodigious.

6:17This is a very large outbreak. And people being cautious about what they eat, avoiding things. You know, we had an early clue that it might be salad. People began avoiding eating lettuce and things like that, that's a prudent thing to do, particularly if you're older, you're frail, you have an underlying illness, you're pregnant, you're immune compromised. Smart. Be careful.

6:42Carol Massar:Right. And don't make jokes about wanting to get this and to lose weight. I've heard so many people say that. I'm like, you really don't want this kind of stuff. Hey, while we have you, just got about a minute and a half or so left here, Dr. Schaffner, I want to ask you about in New York City, we've also been dealing with Legionnaires, bacteria. It was identified in about dozens, dozens of buildings, I should say. And I think what's interesting is at least 46 people have been infected, 22 hospitalized, but it comes after seven people died from it in central Harlem, where more than 100 were infected just about a year ago.

7:20Carol Massar:So what do we need to understand about this? Legionella is a bacteria. It comes to us from water sources and in urban areas, the air conditioning cooling towers that are on the top of large buildings have been known to be the source. Now, there are regulations in New York that require every building owner to maintain those air conditioning cooling towers in an appropriate fashion. But maybe that got a little bit lax. And so these air conditioning cooling towers create kind of a spray that can drip down onto the street. It's almost like a mist and that can contain the bacteria. You inhale it and as a consequence, you get pneumonia and it can be tricky to diagnose and treat.

8:13So that's why some people unfortunately passed away before they could be appropriately treated. But the health department has been very vigorous in getting to the source of this. And I think this outbreak is now at an end.

8:32Carol Massar:All right. That would be good news. It's not been a good couple of weeks or couple of months, certainly here in New York City. But we know some of this has certainly been impacting people around the country. Dr. Schaffner, have a great weekend. Dr. William Schaffner, Professor of Preventive Medicine in the Department of Health Policy, also Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

8:58Carol Massar:Healthcare doesn't always work great. If you've ever waited on a refill or couldn't schedule an appointment, you get it. That's the kind of stuff Optum is changing. They're using data and technology to integrate patient care, pharmacy, and everything else. So healthcare is connected, not complicated. What's that look like? Cheaper prescriptions that are easier to get and care that looks at the whole person, how you need it. Optum is helping make healthcare work as one for everyone. Learn more at business.optum.com. If your best finance people are doing expense reports, chasing receipts, or spending time on month-end close, it's time to get Brex AF, A gentic finance that eliminates that work before it starts.

9:41Carol Massar:Learn more at brecks.com slash AF. Aging is real. And so are the benefits of adding vital proteins, collagen peptides to your daily routine. Because around the age of 30, your body needs backup to keep your collagen up to help support healthy hair, skin, nails, bones, and joints. Available in the classic collagen peptides, collagen and protein shakes, and new vital proteins, collagen sparkling waters. So you can stay vital, stay you. Visit VitalProteins.com to learn more and where to buy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.