Iceberg lettuce recalled in 27 states due to potential cyclospora contamination

Iceberg Lettuce Recalled in 27 States Over Cyclospora Risk

Iceberg lettuce recalled in 27 states – Taylor Farms has issued a recall for iceberg lettuce shipped to 27 states following potential cyclospora contamination. The parasite has been linked to thousands of gastrointestinal illness cases nationwide. According to the company, it is actively removing affected products from shelves and has suspended distribution of iceberg lettuce from Central Mexico to the United States. Consumers are advised to discard any recalled iceberg lettuce immediately and avoid consuming it.

Recall Details and Affected Products

The shredded iceberg lettuce product was distributed between June 29 and July 16 across Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin. The recall notice includes brand abbreviations and product descriptions with use-by dates, though it does not specify particular retailers, restaurants, or product names.

“At this time, Taylor Fresh Foods has not publicly provided distribution information or a list of customers who received the product that was voluntarily removed from the market,” the US Food and Drug Administration stated in a Friday update.

On Saturday, the FDA reported that a Taylor Farms shredded lettuce sample outside the current recall scope tested positive for cyclospora. The lot has been detained while the company investigates whether any portion remains in commerce or consumers’ homes. Several retail brands have already pulled recalled Taylor Farms lettuce from their stores and supply chains.

Health Impact and Ongoing Investigation

Federal health officials connected a major cyclospora outbreak in the Midwest to shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms and served at select Taco Bell locations in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia and Kentucky. Taco Bell confirmed it removed the lettuce from both its restaurants and nationwide supply chain. The FDA noted that additional states may be added to the recall list as more information emerges.

Jack in the Box reported that recalled lettuce reached stores in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. The company immediately removed affected items and substituted them with lettuce from an alternative domestic supplier. “At this time, there have been no reported illnesses associated with food served at Jack in the Box in connection with the FDA’s ongoing investigation,” the company stated.

Restaurant distributor Sysco also took action on Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce from Mexico. “Sysco proactively removed all Taylor Farms processed iceberg lettuce products from Mexico from distribution and instructed customers to destroy them after learning regulators indicated a suspected link between Taylor Farms’ lettuce and a five-state Cyclospora outbreak,” a spokesperson explained on Saturday.

Walmart informed CNN that while there is no indication its products were affected by the cyclospora outbreak, it removed four Marketside-branded bagged iceberg lettuce salad products from select locations as a precaution. US Foods reported that a “limited number” of Cross Valley Farms brand products were impacted, with customer notifications beginning on Friday.

Cases of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness caused by a microscopic parasite, are surging across the United States. Nearly 7,000 confirmed or under-investigation cases have been recorded in 34 states since May 1, according to CDC data published this week. People with cyclosporiasis may experience watery diarrhea, cramping and bloating for weeks, potentially leading to dehydration.

The Michigan state health department has documented more than 5,000 cyclosporiasis cases during the outbreak investigation. Officials stated they “cannot say with certainty that every illness is linked to the same source of exposure” but noted the concentrated increase “strongly suggests that the vast majority of these illnesses are associated with the same outbreak.” This would represent the largest cyclospora outbreak on record in the US. Taylor Farms produce has also been connected to previous illness outbreaks, including E. coli incidents.