--- title: E. coli, Salmonella, Cyclospora: Is the U.S. Seeing a Surge in Foodborne Illnesses? description: With several summer food staples hit by contamination, consumers may wonder why there seem to be so many outbreaks. canonical: https://time.com/article/2026/08/26/e-coli-salmonella-cyclospora-is-the-u-s-seeing-a-surge-in-foodborne-illnesses-/ author: Rebecca Schneid article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-08-26T19:51:11.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-27T20:54:15.227Z article:section: Health og:title: E. coli, Salmonella, Cyclospora: Is the U.S. Seeing a Surge in Foodborne Illnesses? og:description: With several summer food staples hit by contamination, consumers may wonder why there seem to be so many outbreaks. og:url: https://time.com/article/2026/08/26/e-coli-salmonella-cyclospora-is-the-u-s-seeing-a-surge-in-foodborne-illnesses-/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt039112c978b8d2a2/6a8f4571e5249449dd4b591f/GettyImages-2286963573.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: GettyImages-2286963573.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: E. coli, Salmonella, Cyclospora: Is the U.S. Seeing a Surge in Foodborne Illnesses? twitter:description: With several summer food staples hit by contamination, consumers may wonder why there seem to be so many outbreaks. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt039112c978b8d2a2/6a8f4571e5249449dd4b591f/GettyImages-2286963573.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # E. coli, Salmonella, Cyclospora: Is the U.S. Seeing a Surge in Foodborne Illnesses? > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Health Matters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Health Matters is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The latest health news and expert advice on living well. Health Matters makes the fast-moving world of health more useful, surprising and human, from the latest science and medical breakthroughs to practical ideas for living better. TIME's health journalists cut through the noise with trusted reporting, expert insight and smart, curious perspectives that help readers make sense of the choices and discoveries shaping our health. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=2b7626a3-0a6c-4fc7-a82d-09c61b6ebf15&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Daily | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Written by TIME's health desk | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership Health conscious and health connected. A broad health-conscious audience with a credible institutional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ### TIME Health Matters: key statements * Health Matters is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * Health Matters is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=2b7626a3-0a6c-4fc7-a82d-09c61b6ebf15&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/subscribe?i=2b7626a3-0a6c-4fc7-a82d-09c61b6ebf15&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is TIME's health newsletter? Health Matters is TIME's daily health newsletter, written by TIME's health journalists. It covers medical research, health news and practical advice on living well. #### Where can I get reliable health news by email? Health Matters is TIME's daily health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on. #### Is Health Matters free? Yes. Health Matters is a free daily newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters. #### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter? Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ## Video: Lettuce, Eggs, Jalapeños, Blueberries — Is America's Food Supply Getting Less Safe? VERTICAL [Watch (HLS stream): Lettuce, Eggs, Jalapeños, Blueberries — Is America's Food Supply Getting Less Safe? VERTICAL](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/olRdLdRT.m3u8) (1:19)  _Published 2026-08-27. With several summer food staples hit by contamination, consumers may wonder why there seem to be so many outbreaks._  by [Rebecca Schneid](https://time.com/author/rebecca-schneid/)  ## Rebecca Schneid Reporter Aug 26, 2026 7:51 PM UTC  by [Rebecca Schneid](https://time.com/author/rebecca-schneid/)  ## Rebecca Schneid Reporter Aug 26, 2026 7:51 PM UTC This summer, it’s been hard for consumers to know what to put in their grocery cart. Recalls have affected hundreds of products, including [lettuce](https://time.com/article/2026/08/03/two-people-have-died-in-the-cyclospora-outbreak-michigan/), which was linked to a _Cyclospora_ outbreak; [eggs](https://time.com/article/2026/08/15/eggs-recalled-for-salmonella-upgraded-to-highest-fda-risk-level/) and [jalapenos](https://time.com/article/2026/08/06/salmonella-outbreak-linked-to-jalapeno-peppers-from-chipotle-and-qdoba/) that were connected with salmonella; and [blueberries](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-e-coli-o145h28-frozen-blueberries-july-2026) that were potentially contaminated with _E. coli_. These incidents have left shoppers across the United States wondering whether this summer has been a particularly bad one for foodborne illnesses. Here’s what to know—and why consumers may be perceiving a greater number of outbreaks than usual, despite what the data shows. **Read More:** [_What Food Safety Experts Are Eating During the_ Cyclospora _Outbreak_](https://time.com/article/2026/07/22/cyclospora-outbreak-food-safety-experts-lettuce/) ## The number of food recalls are about average, but a few have been unusually severe According to [federal data](https://datadashboard.fda.gov/oii/cd/recalls.htm), the number of food recalls regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is relatively on par with an average year. So far, there have been 483 recalls in this fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2025 through Sept. 30, 2026), with a projected total of 551 by the end of October. In the past decade, the U.S. has seen a range of 400-800 annual recalls. But what stands out in 2026 is the severityof some of the outbreaks caused by contaminated food this year. “I don't know that I would necessarily say there are more outbreaks,” says Janet Hamilton, the executive director of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. “However, what I would say is the scale and magnitude of outbreaks that we're facing right now are unprecedented. It's like we're being eclipsed by the scale and magnitude of these outbreaks with the staffing levels that we have.” The summer’s _Cyclospora_ outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce alone sickened [more than](https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/investigation-multistate-outbreak-cyclospora-illnesses-iceberg-lettuce-july-2026) 10,000 people, caused over [400 hospitalizations](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/outbreaks/07-26/index.html), and led to [at least two deaths](https://www.cdc.gov/cyclosporiasis/cases/index.html), according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Epidemiologists believe it could be among the largest documented foodborne illness events in U.S. history. "We've never seen anything like that before,” Hamilton says. ## The volume of food affected is higher than average While the total number of recalls has been about average, USDA-regulated recalls affected more than [37 million pounds](https://www.foodprocessing.com/food-safety/regulatory-compliance/news/55399686/food-recalls-fell-in-the-first-half-of-this-year?utm%5Fsource=FPRO+eNewsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=CPS260812239&o%5Feid=2535J4570189G9Q&rdx.ident[pull]=omeda%7C2535J4570189G9Q&oly%5Fenc%5Fid=2535J4570189G9Q) of food during the first half of 2026—the highest it has been in a decade. At the same time, epidemiologist and former CDC adviser Katelyn Jetelina says that it’s very hard to tell just how _bad_ this summer’s outbreaks have been—and our lack of federal data does not help. “Our data is just not great in the United States,” she tells TIME. “We’re patching things together to try to figure out what is reality versus concern and public perception, and it's hard to know where the line is.” “That’s what's most frustrating for me as an epidemiologist as well as a mom,” she adds. ## There are seasonal factors, and surveillance has improved It’s normal for foodborne illnesses to peak in the summer, since warmer temperatures [help bacteria and other organisms multiply](https://time.com/6980818/food-safety-tips-memorial-day-summer/). That is why there have been more outbreak incidents in recent months. But this is a consistent seasonal threat, epidemiologists say, and not specific to 2026\. There has also been an increase in media attention around food safety, which can make it seem like the magnitude of any given event is higher than it actually is. This increased coverage is partially due to improved surveillance tools. Laboratories are better [equipped](https://aphl.org/our-publications/stories/lab-matters-magazine/article/winter-2025/the-next-pandemic) than ever to [detect](https://www.cdc.gov/advanced-molecular-detection/about/detecting-outbreaks.html) foodborne illnesses, track how bacteria multiply, and find links between patients. Because we have [more information](https://academic.oup.com/lambio/article/79/5/ovag045/8666905) than [ever](https://www.sph.umn.edu/news/new-study-underscores-importance-effectiveness-of-federal-support-for-tracking-foodborne-illnesses/) on some of these bacteria, and we are able to process data faster than ever before, this means that the information can be quickly and easily shared with the population—which potentially makes it feel like the country is experiencing more outbreaks, when consumers are really just seeing more updates. ## Federal staffing shortages may be weakening the safety net Experts say that while we are able to more quickly detect and identify food safety issues in past decades, health departments at the federal and state levels have experienced significant decreases in funding and staffing—potentially weakening food safety oversight. It can be hard to tell how this is impacting outbreaks. One potential outcome is having less ability to monitor and control an existing outbreak, Hamilton says. “Health departments are mounting responses quickly, but when the outbreaks need additional sustained surge support, the system is quickly overwhelmed,” she says. “That leads to situations like what we have seen with _Cyclospora_. This would have been a complicated outbreak to begin with, and then when you don't have the staffing to keep pace with the level of detailed interviews that you need, the ability to rapidly control the outbreak diminishes.” Hamilton and her colleagues at the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists conduct regular surveys to track staffing levels in state and territorial health departments, and their recent reports found that one-third of public health officials in state health departments have left their positions since the Trump Administration took control in 2025\. On the federal level, some of the staffing [cuts](https://time.com/7222251/doge-musk-federal-workers-government/) were led by the Department of Government Efficiency. Federal cuts to the CDC and FDA also affect state and local health departments, since federal funds provide more than half of their total budgets, [according to _KFF_](https://www.kff.org/other-health/cdcs-funding-for-state-and-local-public-health-how-much-and-where-does-it-go/). Hamilton says that public health officials are like a “protective shield” around the complicated food systems in our country. Workers look at data “carefully and thoughtfully,” interview people impacted by foodborne illness, and “tease apart” what foods might be contaminated. This work is harder with fewer staff members who are stretched increasingly thin. Even advanced tracking and surveillance technology may not be able to counter the loss of knowledgeable human engagement amid these outbreaks. “Our food supply chains are complicated, and I don't know that people really appreciate the detailed work and the complexity that goes behind understanding where foods and ingredients come from and exactly how people are exposed,” she adds. Jetelina adds that part of the role of public health officials is distinguishing “correlation from causation”—a consideration that applies directly to questions about whether and how staffing and funding cuts have affected responses to illness outbreaks this year. Reduced oversight may have allowed some contamination events to go undetected or unaddressed, while staffing shortages may have delayed the collection and dissemination of information that could have helped officials contain outbreaks and reduce the risk to consumers. But without further investigation, it is difficult to determine exactly how the cuts affected the number of recalls, the speed of outbreak responses, or other key measures in 2026. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said that cuts to the CDC and FDA have not hampered the investigation of _Cyclospora_. “Those criticisms are invalid,” Kennedy said during a [press briefing](https://www.c-span.org/program/news-conference/hhs-secy-kennedy-dr-oz-and-others-news-conference-on-combating-fraud/683173) on July 21\. “We had no cuts in the surveillance program. We did cuts in the FoodNet program, but they were for redundant surveillance.” FoodNet, short for the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, was no longer required to actively report on six of eight pathogens, including _Cyclospora_, as of 2025\. The CDC characterized the change in a statement to the _Associated Press_ in August 2025 as a way to “prioritize core activities” and “steward resources effectively.” TIME has reached out to the CDC and FDA for comment. When it comes to consumer safety, it’s important to note that the vast majority of food moving through the system is free from contamination. Experts [say](https://www.cdc.gov/food-safety/about/index.html) consumers can stay safe from outbreaks by keeping up with food recalls, washing produce well, refrigerating produce properly, and monitoring symptoms linked to foodborne illnesses. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/08/26/e-coli-salmonella-cyclospora-is-the-u-s-seeing-a-surge-in-foodborne-illnesses-/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/08/26/e-coli-salmonella-cyclospora-is-the-u-s-seeing-a-surge-in-foodborne-illnesses-/"},"headline":"E. coli, Salmonella, Cyclospora: Is the U.S. Seeing a Surge in Foodborne Illnesses?","datePublished":"2026-08-26T19:51:11.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-27T20:54:15.227Z","description":"With several summer food staples hit by contamination, consumers may wonder why there seem to be so many outbreaks.","url":"https://time.com/article/2026/08/26/e-coli-salmonella-cyclospora-is-the-u-s-seeing-a-surge-in-foodborne-illnesses-/","keywords":["Food Safety","outbreak","Salmonella","News Desk","E. coli","Food","food industry"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt039112c978b8d2a2/6a8f4571e5249449dd4b591f/GettyImages-2286963573.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Rebecca Schneid","jobTitle":"Reporter","url":"https://time.com/author/rebecca-schneid/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt039112c978b8d2a2/6a8f4571e5249449dd4b591f/GettyImages-2286963573.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"GettyImages-2286963573.jpg","caption":"","creditText":"Kevin Carter—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/food-safety/","name":"Food Safety"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/08/26/e-coli-salmonella-cyclospora-is-the-u-s-seeing-a-surge-in-foodborne-illnesses-/","name":"E. coli, Salmonella, Cyclospora: Is the U.S. Seeing a Surge in Foodborne Illnesses?"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Lettuce, Eggs, Jalapeños, Blueberries — Is America's Food Supply Getting Less Safe? [VERTICAL]","description":"With several summer food staples hit by contamination, consumers may wonder why there seem to be so many outbreaks.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/olRdLdRT/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2026-08-27T20:50:40.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/olRdLdRT.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/article/2026/08/26/e-coli-salmonella-cyclospora-is-the-u-s-seeing-a-surge-in-foodborne-illnesses-/","duration":"PT1M19S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/article/2026/08/26/e-coli-salmonella-cyclospora-is-the-u-s-seeing-a-surge-in-foodborne-illnesses-/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```