Project summary/Abstract MDHHS BOL is an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory for food testing thereby supporting statewide food borne outbreak investigations and participating FERN surveillance and surge exercises. Considering fresh produce as a potential vehicle for human cyclosporiasis, BOL would like to increase the capability for the detection of Cyclospora oocysts in food products. There are currently no validated molecular methods to facilitate linking human illness to each other, to food vehicles, or their sources. Therefore, cyclosporiasis outbreak investigations rely primarily on parasitic diagnosis and epidemiologic data. Objectives: • To develop MDHHS BOL capacity and capability for detecting Cyclospora oocysts in human food produce by PCR. • Significantly enhance the laboratory capacity for detecting Cyclospora in the event of outbreak investigations, ongoing surveillance, and source tracking. MDHHS would assist FDA in special events in testing for Cyclospora.