LA CROSSE, Wis. --Kwik Trip Inc. has pulled Del Monte vegetable trays from stores after more than a dozen customers reported illnesses in Wisconsin and Minnesota. A parasite called cyclospora is to blame for the outbreak, according to investigations by the Wisconsin Department of Health, the Minnesota Department of Health and local health departments.
Two types of Del Monte vegetable trays have been linked to the infections. Ill patients have reported purchasing Del Monte’s 6- or 12-ounce vegetable trays containing broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and dill dip.
Cyclospora is a parasite common in developing countries. The disease is spread by ingesting food or water contaminated by feces, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Signs of the illness can take up to a week to present themselves in infected individuals.
Symptoms of cyclospora infection include:
- Frequent watery diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Stomach cramps and bloating
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Low-grade fever
Kwik Trip is cooperating with state officials to remove the contaminated vegetable trays from shelves, according to a Wisconsin Department of Health Services news release.
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