FDA walks back claim that Taco Bell lettuce supplier Taylor Farms was source of 'explosive diarrhea' parasite

Key Points:

• The FDA has retracted its initial claim that lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico was linked to a Cyclospora outbreak causing severe diarrhea, citing a false positive in their original test results.
• Upon re-evaluation, the FDA found no true presence of the Cyclospora parasite in the lettuce samples and stated there are currently no confirmed positive samples of the pathogen.
• Taylor Farms confirmed the FDA apologized for the error and acknowledged the mistake, after which the company had voluntarily recalled the lettuce and cooperated with the investigation.
• The initial warning had led Taco Bell and other fast food outlets to avoid using the implicated lettuce, and consumers were advised to discard Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce products across multiple states.
• Despite the false positive, the FDA continues to work with Taylor Farms to ensure any potentially contaminated products are removed from the market amid an ongoing Cyclospora outbreak affecting over 1,600 people in 34 states.