FDA probes lettuce supplier to Taco Bell in nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak
The Food and Drug Administration is investigating Taylor Farms, a supplier of iceberg lettuce used by Taco Bell in several states, as a possible source of a cyclosporiasis outbreak that has affected thousands across the United States.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has opened a traceback investigation after identifying a single supplier of iceberg lettuce from Mexico that was used by Taco Bell locations in five states where cyclosporiasis cases were reported. The supplier, Taylor Farms of Salinas, California, provides produce to multiple restaurant chains.
"Based on ongoing conversations with public health officials, and out of an abundance of caution, Taco Bell has taken immediate action to voluntarily remove potentially impacted lettuce from a supplier in select states," the company said in a statement, adding that the ingredient is being removed from its nationwide supply chain and will be replaced within 24 hours in the affected locations.
The parasitic infection, first detected in early May, has spread to 34 states, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting at least 1,645 confirmed cases and 141 hospitalizations. State health departments, including Michigan’s, have reported higher numbers, citing more than 4,300 cases and over 100 hospitalizations.
Health experts advise thorough washing and cooking of fresh produce to reduce risk. > "The best way to avoid ingesting it is to cook your food," Dr. Nuwan Gunawardhana of Columbia University Irving Medical Center told CBS News, noting that scrubbing vegetables can help but may not eliminate the parasite entirely.
Taylor Farms, which markets itself as a leading global producer of salads and fresh foods, has not responded to requests for comment.