The US is grappling with a record outbreak of Cyclospora-related diarrhoeal illness linked to fresh produce, prompting nearly 40% of Americans to cut back on buying or eating fruit and vegetables, according to a CBS News poll. This poses an awkward setback for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose "Make America Healthy Again" campaign has urged people to eat more fresh, unprocessed food, with only 4% of respondents saying they were following his advice. Critics say the crisis has been worsened by staffing and budget cuts at federal health agencies under Kennedy's leadership, undermining efforts to track and contain the outbreak.

The FDA is investigating six separate Cyclospora outbreaks, with the CDC recording over 11,500 confirmed and probable cases across 41 states and more than 300 hospitalisations, a figure likely understated. The largest outbreak is tied to Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce sold at Taco Bell and other outlets, now spanning nine states, including Michigan, which alone reports 9,253 cases as of 27 July. The CDC has lost around a quarter of its staff and the FDA about a fifth, while a delayed food-traceability rule has hampered efforts to trace contaminated produce; former officials have called the government's response "catastrophic" and demanded an independent inquiry, despite Kennedy's claim that the situation is "under control."