10
Loading video...
By Khaleda Rahman
National Correspondent
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
The food chain Salad and Go is closing all its locations on Wednesday after filing for bankruptcy amid the widespread cyclospora outbreak that has sickened thousands of Americans across the country.
The chain, which serves made-to-order salads, has 70 drive-thru locations in Arizona and Nevada, according to its website.
Salad and Go, founded in Gilbert, Arizona, in 2013, said it had been "ultimately unable to overcome sustained pressure on consumer demand, past strategic growth challenges and rising costs," according to AZ Family.
Read More on News
Newsweek has contacted Salad and Go for comment via an email sent outside regular business hours.
Although the company was not implicated in the cyclospora outbreak, it said the illnesses had "weakened confidence across the industry and compounded these challenges."
On its website, Salad and Go said it did not use shredded iceberg lettuce or "purchase ingredients from the supplier identified in recent reports about the outbreak."
The company announced in January that it would close all its locations in Texas and Oklahoma to focus its efforts on Arizona.
Tony and Roushan Christofellis, who founded Salad and Go but sold the company in 2021, called the closure "heartbreaking."
"Thirteen years ago, we started Salad and Go with a simple belief that great-tasting, good-for-you food should be affordable for everyone," they wrote on Instagram.
"We dreamed that anywhere there was a McDonald's, there would also be a better and healthier alternative that people could afford," continued the founders, who now run the Angie's restaurant chain. "Although we exited in 2021, watching the company announce the closing of its remaining locations is heartbreaking. We're grateful for every team member, customer, supplier and community that believed in our crazy mission."
...
Latest on Multistate Cyclospora Outbreak
Cases of cyclosporiasis, the gastrointestinal illness caused by the parasite, have risen steadily across the country since May 1, with Michigan and Ohio reporting the highest number of cases.
On Monday, Michigan health officials announced the first two deaths officially linked to the outbreak.
Both individuals had underlying health conditions that may have been affected by cyclosporiasis and dehydration, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said. The department said it would not provide additional information about the deaths.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in an update on Tuesday that it had received reports of 10,468 laboratory-confirmed domestically acquired cases of cyclosporiasis, with more than 12,255 additional cases that were either not laboratory-confirmed or still under investigation. Many of those cases were reported by Michigan and Ohio.
According to the latest data from the CDC, Arizona and Nevada have each reported fewer than 49 laboratory-confirmed domestic cases of cyclosporiasis as of August 3.
The CDC said case counts likely underestimate the true number of illnesses because many infections go undiagnosed or have not yet completed the reporting process. The agency said cyclosporiasis cases typically rise between May and August, but that 2026 case levels are significantly higher than those seen during the same period in 2025.
The agency said it is investigating multiple clusters, including a multistate outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce that "has contributed significantly to the increase in Cyclospora cases this year."
That outbreak has been tied to shredded lettuce supplied by the produce giant Taylor Farms.
Federal health officials first traced that outbreak to lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. Later, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said customers in four other states—Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania—were also affected.
Taco Bell removed shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms from its U.S. restaurants on July 17. The same day, Taylor Farms said it expanded a voluntary recall of iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico that were shipped to 27 states.
The investigation into the outbreak is ongoing, and federal health officials have said other "brands, restaurants, retailers, or distribution channels" could be tied to the illnesses.
What Is Cyclospora?
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that infects food that has come into contact with human feces, most commonly when produce is irrigated or washed with contaminated water. When ingested, the parasite causes intestinal illness marked by "frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements," according to the CDC.
Cyclosporiasis Outbreak
Check out Newsweek's latest coverage:
- Taylor Farms Says FDA Has Apologized Over ‘False Positive’ Cyclospora Test
- Cyclospora Patient Reveals What Symptoms are Really Like as Outbreak Spreads
- Which Salad Greens Are Safe From Cyclospora Parasite? List of Companies, Where to Buy
- What Kills Cyclospora? Food Safety Tips Amid Explosive Diarrhea Outbreaks
- Medicine To Treat ‘Explosive’ Diarrhea Outbreaks Could Cause More Diarrhea
- Cyclospora Isn’t the Only Parasite in Fresh Produce—Experts Warn of Others
- How Long Does Cyclospora Incubate? Symptoms To Watch For, How to Treat It
- Where Does Cyclospora Parasite Come From? How to Protect Yourself
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Matthew Robinson and Shakeema Edwards.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines