Reports of contaminated produce continue to spread across the country as outbreaks of E. coli and cyclospora linked to lettuce, including lettuce connected to Taco Bell locations, prompt South Florida residents to change their diets. Health officials said thousands across the U.S. have been affected, with confirmed cases reported locally from the Palm Beaches into the Treasure Coast. According to the Florida Department of Health, five confirmed local cases of cyclospora have been reported since May, with two in Palm Beach County, two in St. Lucie County and one in Martin County. In Boynton Beach, shopper Hendriette Peckens said she bought two big bags of oranges, bread and some apples while avoiding produce and planning to cook Alaskan salmon for dinner.
Samantha Barone, a dietitian for the bariatric program at Delray Medical Center, said consumers should focus on produce with protective outer layers and stick to melon, things that have a harder skin that you can peel. That includes foods like bananas, melons and avocados. She recommends washing all fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating them and said beans and nuts are safe alternatives that still provide fiber and protein. Barone warned against bagged lettuce if possible, instead recommending buying whole heads of lettuce and peeling away the outer layers. She also advised avoiding berries, especially raspberries, because they are difficult to clean properly, and recommended cleaning produce using a one-to-three part mixture of distilled white vinegar and water.