This year’s cyclospora outbreak has not led to any major changes at Stanford’s dining halls.
“At this time, the Cyclospora outbreak is not affecting Stanford Dining’s food supply, menus, or operations,” wrote Assistant Vice Provost for Stanford Dining, Hospitality and Auxiliaries representative Eric Montell.
“No products supplied to Stanford Dining have been identified as affected by Cyclospora,” he wrote.
This year marked the largest cyclospora outbreak ever recorded in the United States (U.S.), with over 18,000 cases currently.
This microscopic parasite causes an intestinal illness termed cyclosporiasis, which typically causes watery diarrhea as well as other possible symptoms such as loss of appetite and nausea. Typically, infections arise from consuming contaminated food and water. The Food and Drug Administration suspects the outbreak to be tied to iceberg lettuce from central Mexico.
California has seen just 41 cases from January to June — fewer than last year in the same time period — and significantly fewer compared to the rest of the country.
Should more health concerns arise, Stanford Residential and Dining Enterprises (R&DE) has plans to address them.
“R&DE has established food safety, supply chain, and product recall protocols for responding to emerging public health concerns,” Montell wrote. “We monitor guidance from federal, state, and local health authorities and coordinate closely with our suppliers to determine whether any products used by Stanford Dining are affected.”
In the event of a recall for one of the dining hall products, R&DE has a process to remove it and identify appropriate, alternative foods for the menu, he wrote.
Although some foods do carry higher chances of transmission than others, the overall current risk is low, according to Julie Parsonnet, a professor emeritus of medicine with a focus on infectious diseases.
“Cyclospora specifically is not endemic to the U.S., so if Stanford sources its lettuce and berries locally, cyclospora would be very unlikely,” she wrote to The Daily.
Leafy greens, Parsonnet noted, are one of the “riskiest” foods due to washing difficulties and potential animal contamination. However, “the risk remains relatively low.”
Parsonnet expressed confidence in Stanford’s ability to handle outbreaks should cyclospora become a concern on campus.
“Stanford, in general, has an excellent track record for food safety,” she wrote. “I don’t recall any outbreaks here although some could be missed…They do what they are supposed to to prevent foodborne disease.”
Some students have conflicting emotions when it comes to food safety in the dining halls.
Allen Qiang ’27 expressed some apprehension but similar hope in Stanford’s ability to curb potential food safety issues.
“The outbreak has me concerned slightly because the dining halls have varying quality in regards to fruits and vegetables, but I’m confident that the university will check food thoroughly before cooking to maintain the high health standards promised in the university statement,” he wrote to The Daily.