Vegetable + Butcher Cyclospora (Cyclosporiasis) Food Safety Protocol

Our Commitment to Food Safety

The health and safety of our customers is our highest priority. In light of the recent increase in reported Cyclospora (cyclosporiasis) cases across the United States, Vegetable + Butcher has implemented enhanced food safety measures throughout our supply chain and production process.

Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that can cause gastrointestinal illness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), infection occurs by consuming food or water contaminated with the parasite and has historically been associated with certain fresh produce. Person-to-person transmission is considered unlikely because the parasite requires time in the environment before it becomes infectious.

What We're Doing

1. Enhanced Supplier Monitoring

We are working closely with all produce suppliers to:

• Verify adherence to Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs)
• Confirm food safety and sanitation programs
• Review sourcing regions when appropriate
• Monitor FDA and CDC communications for any recalls or outbreak investigations

If any ingredient becomes associated with an active public health investigation, we will immediately evaluate its use and take appropriate action.

2. Increased Produce Inspection

All incoming produce receives additional inspection before entering production, including:

• Visual quality assessment
• Removal of damaged or compromised product
• Verification of cold-chain integrity upon arrival

3. Strict Produce Washing & Handling Procedures

Our culinary team follows enhanced produce handling procedures consistent with CDC recommendations, including:

• Thorough washing of produce under running water where appropriate
• Strict employee handwashing requirements before and after handling fresh produce
• Separation of raw produce from ready-to-eat ingredients during preparation
• Sanitizing food-contact surfaces and equipment throughout production

The CDC recommends washing fruits and vegetables under running water, washing hands before and after handling produce, removing damaged portions, and refrigerating prepared produce promptly.

4. Ongoing Public Health Monitoring

Our team continuously monitors updates from:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)
• State and local health departments
• Supplier food safety notifications

Should any ingredient used in our meals become the subject of an FDA recall or confirmed outbreak investigation, we will immediately remove it from production and notify affected customers as appropriate.

5. Conservative Ingredient Management

When appropriate, we may:

• Temporarily substitute ingredients
• Change sourcing locations
• Suspend use of specific produce items until additional information becomes available

These decisions are made out of an abundance of caution.

What Customers Should Know

According to the CDC:

• Cyclospora is not typically spread directly from one person to another.
• Symptoms usually develop about one week after exposure, although they may appear anywhere from 2 days to more than 2 weeks later.
• Common symptoms include watery diarrhea, fatigue, loss of appetite, stomach cramping, bloating, nausea, and weight loss.
• If left untreated, symptoms may persist for weeks and may improve before returning.

If you experience persistent gastrointestinal symptoms after eating any food, you should contact your healthcare provider. Diagnosis requires specific laboratory testing for Cyclospora, and effective treatment is available.

Our Promise

Food safety is built into every step of our operation—from sourcing and receiving ingredients to preparation, packaging, and delivery.

While no fresh produce can ever be considered completely risk-free, we remain committed to following CDC guidance, maintaining rigorous food safety standards, and acting quickly whenever new information becomes available.

For the latest public health information about Cyclospora, please visit the CDC's Cyclosporiasis information page.