WASHINGTON — Taylor Farms has voluntarily recalled iceberg lettuce products distributed across 27 U.S. states after federal health officials linked the products to a multistate outbreak of Cyclospora infections, prompting retailers and food-service customers to remove affected items from sale.
Taylor Farms de Mexico said it is withdrawing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market because of the potential for Cyclospora contamination. The company said it has suspended distribution of the implicated lettuce, stopped receiving product from the affected lot, notified customers and is working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health authorities.
According to the company, the recalled shredded lettuce and salad products were distributed between June 29 and July 16 to customers in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin. The recall covers multiple food-service and retail products with "best if used by" dates extending into early August.
The FDA said the recall was initiated because the products may be contaminated with Cyclospora, a parasite that can cause prolonged diarrheal illness. Common symptoms include frequent diarrhea, stomach cramps, bloating, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss. Health officials advise consumers not to eat the recalled products and to discard them or return them to the place of purchase for a refund.
The recall follows a CDC investigation into a widespread Cyclospora outbreak that has sickened more than 1,600 people and resulted in more than 100 hospitalizations in the United States, according to health authorities. Federal investigators previously traced illnesses in several Midwestern states to shredded iceberg lettuce supplied to Taco Bell restaurants, although the broader investigation into the outbreak remains ongoing.
Taylor Farms said the FDA traceback points to a specific independent farm in central Mexico as the potential source of the implicated lettuce. Mexican health and agricultural authorities have launched their own investigation, emphasizing that identifying the product's origin does not by itself establish where contamination occurred.
The FDA said consumers experiencing symptoms consistent with Cyclospora infection should contact a healthcare provider. The agency and the CDC continue to investigate the outbreak while monitoring for additional illnesses and tracing potentially affected products.
