Cilantro is a popular food ingredient that adds flavor to a dish, but lately it has been tied to stomach illness outbreaks, reports stated.
Health officials said that over 380 people in 26 states have become sick and it's all because of contaminated cilantro.
The U.S. Food and Drug administration said that the herb from Mexico may be contaminated with human feces, as well as with dirty water, or even during its packaging process.
The gastrointestinal illness caused by the herb is called cyclosporiasis and the outbreak is believed to have started after May 1st, according to Al Jazeera America.
The Centers for Disease Control, together with the FDA, are now investigating into the matter.
Health authorities from the U.S. and Mexico are now looking into 11 farms and packing stations in Puebla, Mexico and found toilet paper and human feces in cilantro fields.
The FDA also said that some farms didn't have proper toilet facilities. Eight farms were found to have the problem, and five of them were tied to the gastrointestinal illness outbreak in the U.S.
Al Jazeera America reported that this is not the first case of contaminated cilantro from Puebla. There have been cases back in 2012 to 2014.
The previous outbreaks in the U.S. linked to imported cilantro led to the partial ban of imported produce from the Mexican region imposed on July 27.
Imports of fresh cilantro will only be accepted if they were supplied by approved companies in summer.
A spokeswoman for the agency, Lauren Sucher, suggested that if there are consumers who are worried about getting contaminated cilantro, they should ask the retailer where the product came from.
Furthermore, she said: "If in doubt, throw it out," according to the report form Al Jazeera America.
Cyclosporiasis is a form of intestinal infection caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis.
People get the infection when they consume contaminated food or water. The parasite attacks the small intestine and causes gastrointestinal disturbances with symptoms such as frequent watery diarrhea. At times, a person may also experience "explosive bowel movements," as described by CDC.
Washing the cilantro may not effectively remove the parasite, but cooking it in high temperatures can reduce the incidence of gastrointestinal illness.
