US Hit by Record Wave of Foodborne Illness This Summer
The US has logged over 12,800 foodborne illness cases in 2026, far exceeding any year since 2020, as experts point to chronic underfunding and recent public health cuts. Several outbreaks are unfolding simultaneously, including the largest cyclospora outbreak the country has seen since the 1990s.
This summer has brought an unusually severe wave of foodborne illness across the United States. The FDA has tallied more than 12,800 illnesses linked to outbreaks so far in 2026, compared with just 895 cases during the same period last year — already the worst count since 2020.
The bulk of the cases stem from cyclospora contamination traced to iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms. The CDC has laboratory-confirmed 17,180 cases nationwide, with about 67 percent tied to that single outbreak, making it the largest cyclospora outbreak the US has investigated since the 1990s. The CDC says at least 11,844 additional suspected cases have not yet been lab-confirmed.
Several other outbreaks are unfolding at the same time. Salmonella-tainted jalapeños have caused at least 431 illnesses and 57 hospitalizations across more than two dozen states, making it the largest salmonella outbreak since 2024. Alfalfa sprouts contaminated with both E. coli and salmonella have sickened 55 people in 15 states, prompting a recall by producer Everything Sprouts.
Food safety experts attribute the surge to a combination of chronic underfunding, gaps in federal policy, and recent cuts to public health infrastructure. A CDC lab that responds to cyclospora outbreaks has seen its staff drop from 11 to three. Both the CDC and FDA have gone extended periods without permanent top leadership, and in 2025 the administration cut roughly $12 billion in funding for state health departments, which are typically first to respond to outbreaks.
Adding to the difficulty, an FDA traceability rule meant to speed up outbreak investigations has been delayed by Congress until 2028, and a regulatory loophole allows some imported food to enter the country without complete traceability records. Experts warn the situation may not improve soon, since many foodborne pathogens thrive in warm, humid conditions and illness rates typically peak between August and October.
