Experts say food industry consolidation may widen cyclospora outbreak

The United States is confronting a cyclospora outbreak that has sickened thousands, prompting renewed scrutiny of the country’s increasingly consolidated fresh-food supply chain. Investigators are still working to pinpoint the original source, but several experts say that the industry’s shift toward fewer, larger processors and distributors can turn a local contamination event into a widespread public-health issue.

"The general trends that have taken place in the food industry, the way in which food has been sourced, and then distributed has played some role here," said Dr. David Relman, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Stanford University.

Relman noted that centralized processing and large-scale packaging, such as bagged shredded lettuce, can spread pathogens far beyond the original farm. He added that consolidation creates “pooling and then redistribution of what might have been a very local contamination problem.”

Marion Nestle, professor emerita of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University, echoed the concern, stating that when a problem occurs in a consolidated system, “it goes wrong big time.” She warned that the efficiency gains from larger operations come with trade-offs for food safety.

The current FDA investigation focuses on shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms, which distributes to food-service customers including national restaurant chains. Taylor Farms has expanded through acquisitions such as Earthbound Farm, Curation Foods and Equinox Growers, reflecting a broader industry trend toward national scale.

Broadline distributors like Sysco, US Foods and Performance Food Group now serve hundreds of thousands of restaurants, further concentrating the supply chain. While regulators blocked a major Sysco-US Foods merger on antitrust grounds in 2015, both companies have continued to grow through smaller acquisitions, extending their reach in fresh-cut produce.

Not all experts view consolidation as detrimental. Timothy Lytton, a health-and-safety regulation scholar at Georgia State University, argued that larger growers often have more resources for testing, traceability and quality control, which can enhance food safety compared with smaller farms. He acknowledged, however, that recalls within large networks are broader and more difficult to manage.

A spokesperson for the International Foodservice Distribution Association said the industry maintains “robust records” and can provide the FDA with traceback information within 24-48 hours to support outbreak investigations.

"We often don't appreciate a system like the food inspection system, or the public health system in large until it fails," Relman said, emphasizing the need for vigilance as the supply chain continues to evolve.