Taylor Farms Lettuce Linked to Record Cyclospora Outbreak

Federal officials have reaffirmed that iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms remains linked to a multi-state outbreak of Cyclospora infections, which causes explosive diarrhea. The FDA initially reported a false positive test result for the parasite in Taylor Farms' lettuce, creating confusion but not altering the overall conclusion.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports more than 1,947 confirmed cases, with at least 98 hospitalizations across nine states. This outbreak is considered the largest recorded in U.S. history. The FDA's traceback investigations have consistently pointed to shredded iceberg lettuce grown in Central Mexico and supplied by Taylor Farms as the likely source.

According to CBS News, health officials believe the affected iceberg lettuce came from a Taylor Farms facility located in central Mexico. The company supplied its lettuce to Taco Bell, which removed the affected products from its restaurants. Health officials suspect multiple outbreaks across 41 states, with more than 4,100 laboratory-confirmed cases and 7,400 suspected cases since May 1.

The FDA has also identified a new Cyclospora outbreak linked to an unspecified product, which remains under investigation. This is among several investigations opened by the FDA into cyclospora outbreaks around the country. Health officials in North Carolina are investigating more than 560 cases there possibly linked to parsley, cilantro, and lettuce.

The complexity of this outbreak has been attributed to several factors, including the parasite's long incubation period, reduced federal response capacity due to staffing and organizational changes, and Taylor Farms' public relations approach muddying the waters. Officials advise avoiding iceberg lettuce in affected states until further notice, especially for high-risk individuals like pregnant women and those over 65.

House Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have sent a letter to Taylor Farms requesting all correspondence with the Trump administration regarding the outbreak. Rep. Robert Garcia (Calif.) expressed concerns that the company may have attempted to influence the FDA's investigation. The Wall Street Journal reported that Taylor Farms reached out to the White House to delay announcing its recall, citing insufficient evidence linking their lettuce to the outbreak.

Taylor Farms has denied attempting to influence the investigation, stating they removed potentially implicated products immediately and voluntarily suspended sourcing lettuce from Central Mexico. The CDC recommends discarding recalled lettuce distributed in over two dozen states between June 29 and July 16.