The Food and Drug Administration initially said that a sample of lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico was a false positive for Cyclospora, the parasite at the center of a nationwide outbreak causing gastrointestinal issues for thousands of people.
The FDA said a sample of lettuce had tested positive, which was reported on July 18, but the next day, July 19, the federal agency said that “Due to the complexity in detection of Cyclospora, FDA laboratory experts re-reviewed the sample results and have concluded that the finding does not represent true amplification and should be considered a false positive.”
The agency informed Taylor Farms of the false-positive test and is working with the company to remove the product from the market.
Taylor Farms has recalled all iceberg lettuce from central Mexico that is on the U.S. market due to the outbreak, the FDA said.
[ Previous: Cyclospora outbreak linked to Taco Bell shredded lettuce ]
The lettuce was distributed to the following states from June 29 through July 16:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- Florida
- Georgia
- Iowa
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisana
- Massachusettes
- Maryland
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
The complete list of products with lot codes and use-by dates can be found here.
Customers who have the recalled lettuce should dispose of it immediately and not eat it. It can also be returned to the place of purchase for a refund, the FDA said.
If you have any questions, you can call Taylor Farms at 855-455-0098.
Health officials had linked the cyclospora outbreak in the Midwest to shredded iceberg lettuce served at some Taco Bell locations in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, and Kentucky. The fast food chain said it had removed the lettuce from restaurants and the nationwide supply chain, CNN reported.
Jack in the Box also said some locations in Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana had been removed, replaced by lettuce from a domestic source.
“At this time, there have been no reported illnesses associated with food served at Jack in the Box in connection with the FDA’s ongoing investigation,” the company said in a statement, according to CNN.
Food distribution company Sysco also removed Taylor Farms lettuce.
“Sysco proactively removed all Taylor Farms processed iceberg lettuce products from Mexico from distribution and instructed customers to destroy them after learning regulators indicated a suspected link between Taylor Farms’ lettuce and a five-state Cyclospora outbreak,” the company told CNN in a statement over the weekend.
Walmart said that its Marketside bagged iceberg lettuce was not affected, but removed it from select locations as a precaution, CNN reported.
[ Previous: Nearly 7,000 cases of Cyclosporiasis in 34 states confirmed or suspected: CDC ]
Thirty-four states have had at least one case of cyclosporiasis since May 1, with Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia part of a multi-state outbreak.