America's Summer of Sickness: Food Outbreaks Expose a Frayed Safety Net

Summer 2026 has seen unprecedented foodborne illness outbreaks, led by cyclospora tied to iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms, plus salmonella in jalapeños and eggs and E. coli with salmonella in alfalfa sprouts. FDA and CDC data suggest a surge due to underfunded food-safety systems, staffing cuts, and delayed traceability rules; import loopholes and weak inspection parity complicate tracing, with outbreaks likely to persist into fall as warm weather and El Niño drive pathogen spread.