Health officials have linked an iceberg lettuce supply from Taylor Farms to the cyclosporiasis outbreak that has sickened thousands of people across the United States. The Food and Drug Administration said a sample of the lettuce tested positive for the parasite behind the outbreak, which has been tied to products sold at Taco Bell and Walmart.
The FDA said Taylor Farms, which supplies Taco Bell, confirmed the positive sample was not part of its current recall announced on Friday. The company said it was voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce from the US market that was sourced from central Mexico and had issued a list of the affected products. The agency said it gathered the sample during targeted surveillance as part of its investigation.
At least 94 people have been hospitalised, and no deaths have been reported. The CDC said thousands of people have been infected with Cyclospora linked to iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms and sold at Taco Bell locations in at least five states. The agency advised people not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.
