At the same time Windsor-Essex is seeing an increase in cyclosporiasis cases, the association representing Ontario’s greenhouse growers is urging residents to remain confident in their products. According to the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, 35 cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported in the region this year. That’s an increase of 11 cases compared to data provided last week and is well above the average of three cases annually. “This is not a disease that commonly ends up [with] people in the hospital and kills individuals,” said Dr. Mehdi Aloosh, the health unit’s medical officer of health. An increase in cases comes as the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has reported more than 10,000 cases, citing lettuce and salad greens as a potential source of the outbreak. Canadian cases of cyclospora, a parasite which infects the small intestine, have largely been tied to residents who recently travelled to the U.S. On Wednesday, the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) released a statement to reassure Canadian consumers their products are not affected. “The key message that we want consumers to know is the recent cyclospora outbreak involves shredded lettuce, mainly, and should not be viewed as a representative of all fresh produce,” Richard Lee, the executive director of the OGVG, told CTV News. When outbreaks are tied to food safety, Lee said it’s not uncommon to see changes in consumer buying habits out of fear or a lack of information. Lee noted that following the food safety outbreak, the OGVG noted a 10 per cent decrease in sales of fresh produce items like tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. “That tells me that consumers are not confident in purchasing produce, and they need to understand that the differences that are there between field production and greenhouse production,” he added. In order to operate, greenhouses are subject to rigorous standards, which differ from field-grown produce, Lee said. Requirements include regular water testing, frequently documented practices, regulated processes for using the washroom, and stringent rules around tracking products. “In some cases, we can identify the grower, the individual that picked the produce, and which road they picked up from,” Lee explained. “This allows our growers and customers to identify products and their origins quickly and accurately.” The OGVG is hoping to dispel any concerns which could lead consumers to avoid greenhouse-grown produce. “I’m just trying to reassure consumers that greenhouse product is a safe choice and a healthy eating option,” Lee added. Consumers are still being urged to follow standard food safety procedures whenever they purchase fruits or vegetables. This includes washing hands before handling food, rinsing fresh fruits and vegetables under clean running potable water before consumption, and cleaning food preparation surfaces. So far, no Canadian-made products have been linked to the cyclospora outbreak. “Our food system at this time does not alarm by a product that’s infected, so people can use products that [are] produced in Canada with peace of mind,” Aloosh said. Aloosh added Canadian residents who return from trips stateside with products they are concerned about should consider cooking them to eliminate the risk of cyclospora.
