Marist Dining Assures Students of Safety Following the Cyclosporiasis Outbreak
Amid a nationwide uptick in the parasite, Gourmet Dining ensures that none of the identified sources of the disease were used on campus.
A nationwide outbreak of cyclosporiasis has left many in the country wary of produce this summer.
The foodborne illness stems from the parasite Cyclospora and is transmitted when feces carrying the parasite is ingested. Person-to-person transmission is highly unlikely.
Symptoms include diarrhea, dehydration, stomach pain and a low-grade fever. Symptoms begin showing in affected individuals from two days and up to two weeks after initial contact. Cases occur every year; however, the high number has made this year unique. Two confirmed deaths have occurred as a result of the parasite so far.
Federal health officials linked the outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in several states. On July 17, Taylor Farms de Mexico voluntarily recalled all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico. The FDA’s traceback investigation identified Taylor Farms de Mexico as the supplier of the shredded iceberg lettuce used at Taco Bell locations where sick people had eaten.
"We do have the outbreak under control," said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during a briefing at the end of July. "We have done extensive forensics, epidemiological forensics and we have identified the source of the outbreak. We, and the companies that are involved, have implemented a recall."
On July 19, the FDA re-reviewed a lettuce sample it had previously reported as positive for Cyclospora and determined that the result was a false positive. The agency emphasized that the corrected laboratory result did not change the basis of its outbreak investigation or the epidemiological evidence supporting Taylor Farms’ voluntary recall.
Amid these concerns over food consumption, Marist Dining is devoted to ensuring students have access to safe and healthy food. Michael Eggert, the general manager of Marist University’s food provider, Gourmet Dining, says that all dining locations on campus are unaffected by this outbreak.
“We are always very concerned about any outbreaks that may affect our students,” Eggert said. “That said, we have a very solid sourcing platform that mitigates risk significantly in our supply chain.”
In order to take precautions against the possibility of foodborne illness, Gourmet has policies in place to ensure a high standard and create a risk-free environment. The group receives immediate notification of food recalls, cross-contamination and allergen declaration failures.
“We have a large supervisory and leadership team here which audits every location frequently,” Eggert said. “We also eat here every day, which helps us live the customer/student experience, to help ensure quality preparation, execution and service of our food.”
According to Eggert, none of the products affected by the parasite were used on campus. Gourmet sources from distributors ranging from local brands such as Eastdale Bagels to larger organizations such as Sysco Foods and Hudson Valley Fresh.
“Food safety is paramount to our commitment in serving quality food across campus,” Eggert said.