Taylor Farms recall covers 27 states; 94 hospitalized
The Food and Drug Administration collected the sample during targeted surveillance of imported produce as part of its investigation into the Cyclospora outbreak, the agency said. Taylor Farms confirmed to the FDA that the positive product is not part of the voluntary recall the company announced Friday, which covers all iceberg lettuce the supplier sourced from central Mexico.
“Taylor Farms has confirmed that this positive product is not part of their current recall,” the FDA said in a statement. “They are currently working to identify whether any part of this implicated lot is available in commerce or in consumers homes.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised consumers not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. Taco Bell said it had completed removing affected Taylor Farms lettuce from its restaurants.
In a statement, Taylor Farms said it has “stopped receiving product from the implicated lot, suspended distribution of the iceberg lettuce from Central Mexico, notified [its] customers and [is] continuing to work with the FDA, CDC, and state authorities.”
The company’s voluntary recall covers iceberg lettuce sold under the Taylor Farms label as well as Marketside-branded iceberg lettuce sold at Walmart locations in 15 states, according to the FDA.
The Cyclospora parasite causes the intestinal illness cyclosporiasis, with symptoms including watery diarrhea that lasts for days, sudden weight loss, and loss of appetite. Symptoms can take up to two weeks to appear after exposure. The infections were first detected on May 13, the FDA said.
No deaths have been reported in the outbreak, but at least 94 people have been hospitalized as cases have spread across more than 30 states. The CDC expects case counts to continue rising as states confirm additional infections.