By Gina Yarbrough
Taylor Farms has voluntarily pulled all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from U.S. shelves amid concerns the product may be contaminated with cyclospora, a parasite linked to a nationwide outbreak that has sickened consumers across multiple states.
The company said the move is precautionary as federal health officials investigate the potential connection between the lettuce and the growing number of cyclospora cases.
Consumers who purchased the recalled iceberg lettuce are urged to discard it immediately and not consume it. They may return the product to the place of purchase for a full refund. Anyone who develops symptoms after eating the recalled lettuce should seek medical attention and contact their physician.
“We are actively removing the implicated products. The company has stopped receiving product from the implicated lot, suspended distribution of the iceberg lettuce from Central Mexico, notified our customers, and we are continuing to work with the FDA, CDC, and state authorities,” the company posted on its website.
The shredded iceberg product was distributed June 29 thru July 16 in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Federal health officials note that actual cyclosporiasis case numbers across states are likely higher than current official figures indicate. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is actively collaborating with state partners to revise and update these statistics as more cases receive confirmation.
As of July 13, the CDC has received reports of 1,645 cyclosporiasis cases in the United States. Of those, 141 people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported. Cases have been identified in 34 states.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the CDC, working with state and local health officials, are investigating the illness linked to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. Health officials said reported illnesses began between May 13 and July 13.
FDA investigators have traced the source of the iceberg lettuce served at the Taco Bell locations visited by those customers, finding that all paths point to a single supplier in Mexico.
Taco Bell in a released statement said the company has completed the removal of affected Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce from all restaurants as of July 17.
“As of July 17, Taco Bell has completed removal of affected Taylor Farms lettuce from our restaurants. Based on ongoing conversations with public health officials, and out of an abundance of caution, Taco Bell worked swiftly to voluntarily remove the product from restaurants and the affected ingredient has been removed from our supply chain nationwide. We took this action to ensure our guests can enjoy their Taco Bell favorites safely.
We believe public health is a shared responsibility among restaurants, their suppliers, and authorities, and we are proud to have consistently acted quickly and proactively to protect our guests. Taco Bell has taken precautionary action, and we encourage all relevant restaurants, retailers, and foodservice operators to do the same.”
According to the FDA, most people infected with cyclospora develop diarrhea, with frequent bowel movements. Other common symptoms include loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps and pain, bloating, increased gas, nausea, and fatigue. Vomiting, body aches, headache, and fever may be noted. Some people who are infected with cyclospora do not have any symptoms. If not treated, the illness can lead to dehydration and severe complications that may require higher levels of care. These complications may last from a few days to a month or longer. Symptoms may seem to go away and then return one or more times (relapse). Immunocompromised persons may experience more severe illness of longer duration along with complications requiring close medical attention.
According to the CDC, individuals can contract cyclosporiasis by consuming food or water that has been contaminated.
