FDA Begins Inspection of Taylor Farms Plant in Mexico Tied to Cyclospora Outbreak

The Food and Drug Administration announced on Aug. 13 that it is inspecting Taylor Farms de Mexico in Guanajuato and collecting samples following a link between the facility and a multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak. The inspection follows the company's July 17 decision to withdraw iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico after health officials connected a single lettuce supplier to the parasite outbreak that has affected 13,895 confirmed cases across 47 states since May, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Acting FDA deputy commissioner for food Donald Prater said agricultural water is often the source of Cyclospora contamination and that the agency is reviewing data to determine how the contamination occurred. Taylor Farms has suspended processing and distribution of the implicated lettuce and has brought in external inspectors at the Mexican plant. The company also recalled jalapeño-containing products linked to a separate salmonella investigation.

Federal and state officials said they remain confident that all recalled iceberg lettuce tied to the current outbreak has been removed from the market. Michigan health officials, whose state reports the highest number of cases, advised residents that routine guidance for consuming lettuce and salad greens can be resumed.

Experts cautioned that the precise source of the infections remains unknown. Dr. Dana G. Mordue, an associate professor at New York Medical College, warned that vulnerable populations should exercise caution when eating raw produce.

Former FDA deputy commissioner Frank Yiannas has advocated for a National Foodborne Outbreak Investigation Board to improve coordination and transparency in future incidents, likening it to the National Transportation Safety Board. Food-safety attorney Bill Marler noted that the timing of the inspection is unclear and that the plant has been shut for nearly a month.