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Planet Money · July 22, 2026 · 25m

Big Lettuce meets Small Intestine

A cyclospora outbreak sickening thousands of Americans prompts Planet Money to explore the rise of bagged lettuce. The episode traces how bagged greens went from niche to grocery store staple, examines the food safety challenges that come with industrialized processing, and asks why outbreaks keep happening despite FDA oversight.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Highlights

Cyclospora outbreak tied to lettuce
A cyclospora outbreak is sickening thousands of Americans, and the source is linked to lettuce.
Bagged lettuce dominates grocery shelves
Bagged lettuce has become the dominant way Americans buy greens, transforming a once-niche product into a supermarket staple.
Food safety challenges with industrial processing
The episode examines why outbreaks continue to happen despite FDA oversight, highlighting the tension between efficiency and safety in the industrial food system.
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