Topline
Taylor Farms said it would remove iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico out of the U.S. market, the company announced Friday, as federal investigators marked the produce company as the possible source of a cyclosporiasis outbreak that has possibly sickened nearly 7,000 people.
Iceberg lettuce sourced from Mexico has been pulled by Taylor Farms.
Photo by: Ed Young/Design Pics Editorial/Universal Images Group via Getty ImagesKey Facts
Taylor Farms de Mexico is voluntarily pulling the iceberg lettuce, citing information from the Food and Drug Administration as the agency’s investigation has indicated a “specific independent farm” may be responsible for the outbreak.
Taylor Farms noted that none of its popular salad kits contain iceberg lettuce.
Taylor Farms supplies produce to major fast food and grocery chains such as Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, Walmart and Trader Joe’s.
Taco Bell said earlier this week it was removing ingredients like lettuce, cilantro, onion, pico de gallo and guacamole from its menus in the Detroit area.
Big Number
6,745. That is how many possible cyclosporiasis cases there are in the U.S., according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has confirmed 1,645 domestic cases and has found over 5,100 cases that need further testing to be confirmed as domestically acquired cyclosporasis.
What Is Cyclosporiasis?
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by cyclospora, a parasite. The illness is contracted through contaminated food or drink and is characterized by watery diarrhea, loss of appetite and weight loss. Symptoms typically show one week after infection but can appear as early as two days later or as late as two weeks after.
Full Statement From Taylor Farms To Forbes
“Based on information provided yesterday by the FDA, Taylor Farms de Mexico is voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market. While the FDA traceback is indicating a specific independent farm, which represents less than 1% of the U.S.’s iceberg lettuce supply, as the potential source of the outbreak, we have removed all iceberg lettuce from the region indefinitely. No other Taylor Fresh Foods products across the country are impacted. No Taylor Farms branded salad kits contain iceberg lettuce. 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. We will provide continuous updates as new information emerges.”
Key Background
The CDC has warned cases of cyclosporiasis are likely to increase, noting a six-week reporting lag between illness onset and case reporting. Highly impacted states such as Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia have recorded differing data from the CDC, with Michigan reporting 5,002 confirmed cases as of Thursday. Early in the outbreak, Taco Bell was identified as a possible fast food source, as locations in the Detroit area posted signs they could not sell certain produce as part of a recall, though no recalls directly linked to the outbreak have been reported by the FDA or U.S. Department of Agriculture. Taco Bell has been sued at least three times in federal court this week, with plaintiffs alleging negligence, breach of warranty and violations of deceptive trade practices law for allegedly selling contaminated lettuce.
Further Reading
Taco Bell Hit With Federal Lawsuits Over Cyclosporiasis Infections (Forbes)