A sample of shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico has tested positive for the Cyclospora parasite, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration stated Saturday.
The sample was collected during an investigation of the outbreak. Taylor Farms confirmed that this positive lettuce sample is not part of their current recall, the FDA stated.
Taylor Farms is currently working to identify whether any part of this implicated lot is available in restaurants or in consumers’ homes. The FDA said the positive lot is currently detained, and more information will be provided as it becomes available.
The FDA said Taylor Farms de Mexico on July 17 voluntarily removed all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market and initiated a recall. The recall includes certain Marketside-brand iceberg salad and shredded lettuce products sold at Walmart with “Best if Used By” dates from July 18 through Aug. 3.
Consumers, restaurants, and retailers are advised not to eat or serve the recalled lettuce and to discard it immediately. The FDA also warned consumers not to eat recalled lettuce at Taco Bell or other restaurants if they cannot verify its source. If customers were not sure of the source, the FDA advised them to ask the restaurant.
Taylor Farms distributed the recalled lettuce to 27 states from June 29 through July 16, according to the FDA.
“Taylor Farms de Mexico of Guanajuato, Mexico, is voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Cyclospora,” the company said in a statement. “Consumers who have purchased the recalled iceberg lettuce should discard it immediately and not consume it. Full refunds are also available at the location of purchase. Consumers experiencing health issues should contact their physician.”
The company added, “As a family owned and operated company, we are deeply concerned for those who became ill, their families, and the many Americans whose trust in the safety of their fresh produce has been shaken. That trust is something we’ve worked for decades to earn, and we are committed to doing everything in our power to restore that confidence.”
Illnesses were reported from May 13 to July 13, the FDA stated.
As of July 13, Michigan has by far had the most cases with 1,141, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ohio had 420 cases, Indiana had 47 cases, Kentucky had 25 cases, and West Virginia had 11 cases.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported 2,640 cases as of July 13, far more than the update from the CDC. The state said that Michigan typically reports about 40 to 50 cases of cyclosporiasis a year. Michigan had conducted more than 1,000 interviews with people who tested for cyclosporiasis.
