FDA still focused on Taylor Farms lettuce as Cyclospora source despite retracted test

Key Points:

• The FDA announced that a previous positive test for Cyclospora in lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico was a false positive, but emphasized this does not change the ongoing outbreak investigation or the current voluntary recall.
• The FDA continues to recommend avoiding iceberg lettuce grown or processed by Taylor Farms in Mexico, especially products sold at Taco Bell in five states and Walmart stores in 15 states, based on epidemiological data linking illnesses to the lettuce.
• Over 1,600 confirmed Cyclospora cases and 94 hospitalizations have been reported, with no deaths; the FDA is still testing lettuce samples and produce at the southern border but has found no positive results so far.
• Taylor Farms voluntarily recalled all iceberg lettuce from central Mexico and ceased sourcing it for the season, working closely with public health officials following the outbreak.
• Experts note that Cyclospora outbreaks are common each summer and may involve multiple unrelated clusters, making it difficult to identify a single source quickly and complicating containment efforts.