How shoppers can navigate recent food recalls and outbreaks, according to a health expert

Some shoppers may be wondering what they can eat after a series of food recalls and outbreaks.

Earlier this week, officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linked cyclospora cases to iceberg lettuce in 15 states. The CDC also warned of a salmonella outbreak due to jalapeños in 27 states.

Additionally, last month the Food and Drug Administration announced recalls for berries and more than a million cartons of eggs.

The CDC is not reporting any cases of salmonella in Maryland. However, visit their website to stay up to date on the current outbreak list.

Expert advice

"I think it's important to kind of be aware of what you're purchasing and where," Johns Hopkins Medicine gastroenterologist Dr. Reezwana Chowdhury said.

Dr. Chowdhury said shoppers should look to other fresh produce options.

"If you're going to be buying any produce, check which stores and which brands, specifically," she said. "Right now, I would be avoiding any pre-packaged salads."

If you're planning to buy lettuce, wash it thoroughly.

"If you buy a head of lettuce, peel off the outer layer," Dr. Chowdhury said. "Wash the inner layer carefully."

Dr. Chowdhury says it's hard to predict how long it'll take for these outbreaks to get under control. She adds that as health officials continue to investigate, they could be looking at other locations or other farms that may carry the same organisms from these illnesses.

Local shoppers react

Some shoppers have remained cautious over the last couple of weeks, steering away from produce linked to cyclosporiasis and salmonella.

"Honestly, it makes you feel like you can't eat anything safely, especially when you have kids," shopper Alicia Wiley said.

Wiley has kept a close eye on the FDA's food recall list.

"I actually shop with my phone in my hand now so that I can Google if something is safe to eat right now," Wiley said.

She's been careful about buying certain foods that health officials have flagged.

"Just heard about the jalapeños," Wiley said. "Had them recently, won't be buying them for a little while."

But other shoppers in Pikesville aren't bothered.

"I don't really pay attention to it," Anyi, another shopper, said.

"When I do do produce, such as lettuce, if I do berries, I rinse them real well," another shopper, Michael McNeill, said. "I'm not really concerned about the outbreak."

"You want to look at the labels and make sure because a lot of these things are, they're not grown naturally anymore," Anyi said.