FDA says Taylor Farms lettuce sample was false positive, recall issued
UPDATE July 20:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration stated in an update Sunday that lab results showed a false positive in detection of cyclospora in a Taylor Farms de Mexico lettuce sample.
The update was released after the FDA stated last week that consumers should avoid shredded lettuce at Taco Bell locations in several states.
However, despite the false positive test result, the FDA says Taylor Farms de Mexico is “voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market.”
On July 17, health officials say Taylor Farms initiated a recall, including its Marketside-brand product available at Walmart, “Iceberg Salad 12-oz or 24-oz” and “Shredded Lettuce 8-oz or 16-oz” with best if used by dates of July 18 and Aug. 3.
The FDA says Taco Bell locations that received the recalled lettuce includes locations at least in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.
The recalled Marketside-brand products were sold at some Walmart stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.
Taylor Fresh Foods also distributed recalled products from June 29 through July 16 to Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Health officials are still recommending for consumers to avoid eating recalled lettuce at any Taco Bell location or other restaurants. If you don’t know the source of the lettuce, the FDA advises to ask the restaurant.
Original Report
KENTUCKY (WNKY) – Health officials are advising consumers to avoid shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell in several states amid an ongoing cyclospora outbreak.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday, the illness has been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce used at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia.
The FDA says it is working with the CDC to investigate. According to the FDA, the lettuce was sourced from Mexico.
Additional states may be included as more information is gathered.
Both agencies are still trying to determine if additional products may be contributing to the outbreak, health officials say.
Symptoms of cyclospora include frequent bowel movements, loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps and pain, bloating, increased gas, nausea and fatigue, according to the FDA. Vomiting, headache and fever may also be present.
Further updates will be released as they become available.
