Minnesotans among 212 confirmed cases linked to veggie tray Cyclospora outbreak

(KMSP) - More than 200 people have now gotten sick after eating contaminated veggie trays, many which were purchased at Kwik Trip gas stations. 

Tony Lund is one of more than 50 Minnesotans who fell victim to the Cyclospora outbreak and said the last five weeks have destroyed his life.

“Diarrhea, sick to my stomach, sweats, very tired, achy legs, achy knees…just wasn’t sure what was wrong with me,” he said.

Since the third week of May, the last thing the biker wanted to do was rev up his Harley – until Monday.

As it turns out, Lund is one of the reported 56 people in the state who fell sick with a Cyclospora infection, an intestinal parasite he got after eating Fresh Del Monte Produce vegetable trays he picked up at a nearby Kwik Trip.

“I went in and out of the clinics trying to figure out what was going on, and they tested me with stuff and they wouldn’t give me any medication until they found out what the issue was,” Lund said.

The vegetable trays were recalled in June, but on Thursday the CDC confirmed 212 cases have cropped up so far.

“It wouldn’t shock me that there’s 400 or 500 official cases and really it could be more, we just don’t know yet,” said food safety attorney Ryan Osterholm.

Osterholm represents at least 115 people who ate from the fecally-contaminated trays.

The broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and dill dip trays were also sold in Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin before they were pulled from both Kwik Trip and Kwik Star shelves. 

“That number will get larger because I’m talking to people that are just testing positive right now and there’s no way that they would be contacted by the health department or counted as a case until they test positive,” Osterholm said. “If Del Monte believes that my clients should’ve washed these pre-packaged vegetables they bought at Kwik Trip, I think the customers should know that."

Lund agrees because it wasn’t until he learned, of all things, the Fresh Del Monte Produce vegetables were the culprit that he was even able to hit the pegs.

“I figured I was putting healthy food in my body…find out I was putting poison in my body,” Lund said. “Now I feel way better, life is better.”

Fox 9 has reached out to Fresh Del Monte Produce several times for comment since we first brought you this story in June. The company, which Del Monte Foods, Inc. says they’re not affiliated with, has yet to respond to our requests.