NAFTA notwithstanding, the feds have actually taken action to look out for you. It seems odd, but every now and then....
The US Food and Drug Administration is detaining cilantro from the Mexican state of Puebla through the end of August, Bloomberg reports, because of “objectionable conditions” found at farms and packing houses. Those conditions range from a lack of soap in the bathrooms to “human feces and toilet paper found in growing fields and around facilities.”
The FDA and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have linked Pueblan cilantro with outbreaks of cyclosporiasis dating back to 2012. The disease is caused by a parasite that induces “prolonged and severe diarrheal illness.” The illness is most often found in the tropics and subtropics, and is not common in the US.
The FDA believes the fresh cilantro was most likely contaminated with the parasite through its contact with “growing fields, harvesting, processing or packing activities” or through contaminated irrigation, crop protectants or waste waters in Puebla.
Don't know about you, but I've been growing my own cilantro and other herbs for years - I vacuum-pack the harvests and toss them into the freezer. They stay fresh-tasting for months. And actually, anything labeled "produce of Mexico" gets a pass from me, anyhow.
Buying local has always seemed better.
