A food safety expert has said it remains safe to eat at restaurants despite an ongoing cyclospora outbreak in the United States, as federal investigators continue searching for the parasite's source. The reassurance comes as the outbreak has spread across dozens of states, prompting concern among diners about what is safe to order, particularly where fresh produce such as lettuce is involved.

The Food and Drug Administration's multistate investigation has pointed to Taylor Farms lettuce, sourced from Central Mexico, as the likely origin of the contamination, despite one false-positive lab sample complicating the picture. Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas said the probe is being guided by epidemiological and traceback data, and offered safety tips for consumers. The outbreak has affected more than 30 states, with case counts reported between roughly 6,000 and nearly 7,000, and has already led to lettuce being pulled from Taco Bell after the chain's supplier was linked to the contamination.