California-based fruit and vegetable producer , which recently came under scrutiny after its shredded iceberg lettuce was linked as a possible cause of the cyclosporiasis outbreak, on Saturday (local time) recalled its iceberg lettuce.
The company said it is removing all iceberg lettuce that was sourced from central Mexico after a farm there was linked to a diarrhea-causing parasite outbreak that’s sickened thousands in Michigan and nearby states, Bloomberg reported.
Taylor Farms recalls iceberg lettuce
Taylor Farms noted that its Mexican subsidiary is voluntarily removing the product based on the information shared by the US Food and Drug Administration (), adding that its representatives met with FDA and White House officials on Thursday “to discuss the best approach to ensure public health.”
The company, in a recall notice, said, “We are actively removing the implicated products. The company has stopped receiving product from the implicated lot, suspended distribution of the iceberg lettuce from central Mexico, notified our customers, and we are continuing to work with the FDA, CDC, and state authorities,” ABC News reported.
It further said, “While the FDA traceback is indicating a specific independent farm, which represents less than 1% of the US iceberg lettuce supply, as the potential source of the outbreak, we have removed all iceberg lettuce from the region indefinitely.”
Taylor Farms claimed that no other products are affected, adding that its branded salad kits sold in supermarkets don’t contain the affected . The FDA investigation is ongoing.
Taylor Farms’ decision to recall its lettuce confirms that it is one of the likely sources of a widening outbreak of severe diarrhea that prompted Taco Bell to pull the ingredient from some restaurants earlier this week. On Thursday, US health officials said the illnesses were linked to shredded lettuce served at different Taco Bell locations and pointed to an individual supplier without naming Taylor Farms.
Taco Bell removes Taylor Farms’ lettuce from restaurants nationwide
After the officials indicated that the illnesses were possibly linked to the lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms, , on Friday, removed the affected product from its restaurants nationwide.
In a statement, Taco Bell noted that it had taken “immediate action to voluntarily remove potentially impacted lettuce from a supplier in select states” following “ongoing conversations with public health officials.”
The statement added, “We believe public health is a shared responsibility among restaurants, their suppliers, and authorities, and we are proud to have consistently acted quickly and proactively to protect our guests.”
Cyclosporiasis outbreak in the US
While reports suggest that the United States reports cyclosporiasis cases every year, the cases reported this year are higher than usual. The Washington Post on Thursday reported that this year’s cyclosporiasis cases have largely been reported in southeastern , where over 4,300 cases were reported by Thursday, and at least 100 people have been hospitalized.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s investigation revealed that cases were also reported from four other states, including Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal infection caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. It spreads when people consume food or water contaminated with the parasite.
