Lettuce sales have dropped at DeCicco & Sons in Harrison as a national outbreak of cyclosporiasis reaches nearly every state.

"Everybody's scared, so we're really not selling as much lettuce as we did before, especially bagged lettuce," said Julissa Ochoa, assistant store manager at the Harrison location, in an Aug. 27 report by the Rye Record.

Cyclosporiasis is a gastrointestinal illness caused by the cyclospora parasite found on produce. The outbreak has sickened 17,180 people across 48 states and Washington, D.C., since May 1, according to the CDC's Aug. 24 update reported by USA Today. Two people in Michigan have died and 922 have been hospitalized. The FDA traced the largest cluster to recalled iceberg lettuce grown by Taylor Farms in central Mexico.

New York is not among the states linked to the lettuce-specific outbreak. But the state reported 932 total cyclosporiasis cases through Aug. 10, according to the Democrat and Chronicle.

Westchester County has recorded 62 cases in 2026, down from 90 at the same point in 2025. None are connected to the national outbreak, according to Christopher Ericson, deputy commissioner of Environmental Health for the Westchester County Board of Health.

"The data for the cases we have received is not showing a commonality between those cases that would point to one specific source," Ericson told the Rye Record.

The numbers have changed habits locally. Rye resident Naomi Norman said she has stopped buying bagged lettuce entirely. She now washes or boils all produce and buys lettuce only from the farmers market. Her husband and she no longer order salads when eating out.

The FDA said all recalled iceberg lettuce is off the market, CBS News reported on Aug. 28. The recalled Taylor Farms products carried best-by dates of July 18 through Aug. 3 and should no longer be on shelves.

Washing helps but does not eliminate the risk. Consumer Reports food-safety expert James Rogers said cold running water can reduce the parasite's presence on produce. Heat kills it at 158 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ericson said the county is monitoring the situation and staying in contact with state health agencies and the CDC.

Several Rye restaurants offer lettuce-free salad options. Aurora lists a watermelon and peach salad, Ruby's Oyster Bar serves a beet and orange salad, Ora has a tomato and mozzarella salad, and The Rye Country Store offers a fruit salad. Norman makes her own at home: watermelon, cucumber and feta.

Cyclosporiasis symptoms include watery diarrhea, bloating, nausea and fatigue. Most people recover without treatment, though some require antibiotics. The CDC recommends contacting a doctor if symptoms develop.