FDA Expands Distribution Scope of Recalled Lettuce Linked to Cyclosporiasis Outbreak
Recalled iceberg lettuce from a Mexican Taylor Farms facility identified in nine additional U.S. jurisdictions as total outbreak cases rise.
Quick Look
- The FDA has identified nine additional states and territories where recalled iceberg lettuce from a Mexican Taylor Farms facility was distributed.
- The multi-state cyclosporiasis outbreak has reached 10,930 cases, with 27,000 total cases reported nationwide since May 1.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Cyclosporiasis is a parasitic illness caused by exposure to cyclospora, typically transmitted through contaminated produce or water. Previous outbreaks have been linked to various fresh produce items including cilantro, raspberries, and lettuce.
America’s largest outbreak of deadly explosive diarrhea-causing cyclosporiasis may have just gotten even bigger.
Recalled iceberg lettuce from a Mexican Taylor Farms facility was possibly distributed in nine more areas than previously reported, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday.
Those states and jurisdictions include California, Delaware, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, as well as Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
The agency previously reported that the products had been distributed at restaurants and retail stores in nearly three dozen states from late June to July.
“The total case count associated with this multi-state outbreak is now 10,930 illnesses reported from 17 states,” the FDA said.
More than 27,000 confirmed and probable cases of the parasitic illness - caused by exposure to the parasite cyclospora - have been reported across 47 states since May 1, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC's latest figures include 15,716 laboratory-confirmed cases, while the agency says at least 11,841 additional cases require further investigation.
Two people infected with cyclosporiasis have died in Michigan, the hardest-hit state. Michigan has seen 14,277 cases and 335 hospitalizations from illnesses, according to state health officials.
Some people there were sickened after eating at the fast-food chain Taco Bell, which has pulled the lettuce from its restaurants.
Affected products should no longer be available for sale in stores or restaurants and the best-by dates for recalled products have passed.
But that outbreak isn’t the only one the FDA is monitoring. Smaller outbreaks with unknown origins are continuing to see cyclosporiasis cases rise.
The Trump administration is working closely with state and local officials to identify exposure sources and provide Americans with evidence-based information, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services told The Independent this week.
Infections are only spread by humans. The parasite cyclospora lives in human waste and can be transferred throughy water sprayed on crops or passed along when an individual handles contaminated produce.
Past outbreaks have been tied to cilantro, raspberries, basil and snow peas. Lettuce has also been tied to previous outbreaks in 2018, 2020 and 2022.
Cases are typically not life-threatening, but usually uncomfortable. Symptoms include vomiting, explosive diarrhea, nausea and severe dehydration that may land people in the hospital.
These symptoms don’t usually occur until two weeks after people are exposed to cyclospora.
By that time, patients may have forgotten what they had consumed and tainted products may already be out of grocery stores. That’s part of why tracing outbreaks has been tricky.
The best way to avoid the parasite is to cook food to a temperature of 158 degrees Fahrenheit.
Washing produce well - sometimes with a scrub brush - can limit the chance of exposure, but does not eliminate the parasite.
Open Questions
- What is the specific source of contamination at the Taylor Farms facility?
- Are there additional unidentified sources for the smaller, rising outbreaks?
