WASHINGTON — Taylor Farms said on Friday it was voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market after federal investigators linked the product to a multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak, as health officials continued to investigate one of the country's largest recent outbreaks of the parasitic illness.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said its traceback investigation identified a single supplier of shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. The agency said the illnesses under investigation are a subset of broader Cyclospora infections reported nationwide.
According to the FDA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1,644 confirmed illnesses associated with exposure at Taco Bell locations in the five affected states had been identified as of the latest official update. Officials reported 94 hospitalizations and no deaths. Illness onset dates ranged from mid-May through mid-July, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Taylor Farms said the FDA's investigation pointed to an independent farm in central Mexico representing less than 1% of the U.S. iceberg lettuce supply as the potential source of contamination. The California-based company said it had nevertheless removed all iceberg lettuce from the region indefinitely and emphasized that its branded salad kits are not implicated because they do not contain iceberg lettuce.
Taco Bell said it had voluntarily removed potentially affected lettuce from its supply chain in the impacted areas after consulting public health authorities. The company said the ingredient would be replaced while the investigation continues.
Federal health officials have advised consumers not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in the five affected states if there is uncertainty about whether it has been replaced. The FDA said consumers and food service operators should also follow safe food-handling practices to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
Cyclosporiasis is caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis and typically causes prolonged watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, stomach cramps and fatigue. The illness is generally treatable with antibiotics and is rarely fatal, according to the CDC.
The CDC said Cyclospora outbreaks in the United States are most common during the spring and summer and are frequently linked to contaminated fresh produce. Federal and state officials said the investigation into the current outbreak remains active and additional findings will be released as they are confirmed.
