Salad and Go Shuts Down Amid Cyclospora Outbreak Concerns

Salad and Go Closes All Locations

Salad and Go, a food chain offering made-to-order salads, announced it is shuttering its operations on Wednesday due to bankruptcy issues as a result of the ongoing Cyclospora outbreak. Though not directly implicated, the outbreak has negatively impacted consumer confidence, exacerbating the company’s challenges. Salad and Go, operational since 2013, had 70 drive-thru locations in Arizona and Nevada. Rising costs and strategic growth hurdles further contributed to the closure decision.

Salad and Go emphasized it did not use shredded iceberg lettuce or source ingredients from the supplier connected to the outbreak. Earlier in the year, the company had already begun scaling back by closing outlets in Texas and Oklahoma to concentrate efforts on Arizona.

Details of the Cyclospora Outbreak

Cyclospora, responsible for cyclosporiasis—a gastrointestinal infection—has seen a significant increase in cases since May 1. Michigan and Ohio have reported the most incidents. In Michigan, the first two deaths linked to the outbreak have been confirmed. Both individuals had underlying health conditions.

The CDC reports 10,468 confirmed cases nationwide, with over 12,255 additional cases under investigation. Due to factors such as undiagnosed infections, the true number may be higher. The outbreak seems tied to iceberg lettuce distributed by Taylor Farms, linked initially to Taco Bell restaurants across several states including Indiana and Ohio. Other states like Illinois and Kansas have since reported related cases.

On July 17, Taco Bell removed the implicated lettuce from its menus, and Taylor Farms issued a voluntary recall of lettuce grown in central Mexico. The investigation continues, with federal health officials indicating more brands or distribution channels could be involved.

Understanding Cyclospora

Cyclospora is a parasite infecting food exposed to human feces, often via contaminated water used for irrigation or washing produce. Ingesting this parasite results in intestinal illness, marked by frequent bowel movements, sometimes explosive in nature.