Former Trump administration food safety official calls cyclospora outbreak response 'catastrophic'
Former FDA deputy commissioner Frank Yiannas criticized the Trump administration's handling of the cyclospora outbreak that has sickened thousands, calling it nearly catastrophic and urging an independent review.
Frank Yiannas, who served as the FDA's deputy commissioner for food policy from 2018 to 2023 under both Donald Trump and Joe Biden, has accused the administration of near 'catastrophic' mismanagement of the cyclospora outbreak. The outbreak, caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, has sickened over 4,000 people in the US, with thousands more believed to be affected.
Yiannas told Politico that there has been widespread public confusion about cyclosporiasis, compounded by a 'lack of strong federal leadership' and mixed messages from federal agencies. He described the response as 'starting to approach a catastrophic level in terms of how mismanaged it's been on multiple fronts.'
The FDA initially identified lettuce from Taylor Farms, a supplier to Taco Bell, as linked to the outbreak, only to later backtrack. Taylor Farms claimed the FDA apologized for the error, but the FDA denies this. The agency still maintains there is strong evidence linking Taylor Farms to the outbreak.
US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr said last week the outbreak was 'under control,' even as the FDA expanded its investigation to 7,400 potential cases across nine states. Yiannas criticized the FDA for moving too fast and making a mistake, calling for transparency about how and why it happened and what steps will be taken to prevent future errors.
Yiannas has called for an independent review of the federal response, either through congressional oversight or an independent inspector. The FDA has not yet responded to this call for an investigation.
