“Cyclospora infection can occur due to eating contaminated, imported raw produce, especially leafy greens, fresh herbs and berries. Locally-grown produce is not known to carry Cyclospora,” the BCCDC said in a release.
The parasite is commonly found in tropical and subtropical areas, including Peru, Cuba, India, Nepal, Mexico, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, and Southeast Asia.
Symptoms of the illness can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, and vomiting. Some people also experience a fever.
“One thing of note is that the diarrhea for cyclospora can last for quite a while — [it] can last for a few weeks,” BCCDC public health physician Dr. Mayank Singal said.
When people talk about “washing” produce, they always seem to mean “rinsing” - which is just tap water and no soap. Is this article telling us to actually wash, with soap?
Rinsing removes the outer layers of bio film, which is fine for bacteria that your body can deal with in small amounts, but I assume that is inadequate with a quickly reproducing parasite.
The article says “thoroughly under tap water”. I take that to mean no soap, but running water and scrubbing, either just with your hands or with a suitable brush.
You can wash non-porous fruits with soap as long as you rinse them off completely.