FDA identifies source of US cyclosporiasis outbreak tied to Taylor Farms lettuce

US health officials have identified a sample of iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms as testing positive for the parasite linked to a large cyclosporiasis outbreak. The Food and Drug Administration said the sample was collected during targeted surveillance as part of its investigation into the outbreak. Officials said the company had confirmed the product was not part of its current recall, but they are still working to determine whether any of the implicated lot remains in commerce or in consumers' homes.

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At least 94 people have been hospitalised, and no deaths have been reported. The infections were first detected on 13 May, according to the FDA, and symptoms can take up to two weeks to appear. Those symptoms include watery diarrhoea lasting for days, sudden weight loss and loss of appetite.

The FDA said Taylor Farms had already announced a voluntary removal on Friday of all iceberg lettuce from the US market sourced from central Mexico, along with a list of affected products. The outbreak has affected thousands of people in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC has advised people not to eat shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.

Taco Bell said it had completed the removal of affected Taylor Farms lettuce from its restaurants. The lettuce was also recalled in 27 states, and the FDA said Marketside-branded iceberg lettuce sold at Walmart locations in 15 states was included. The case is significant because it links a widely distributed food product to a parasite that can cause prolonged gastrointestinal illness and hospitalisation.

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Cyclosporiasis is a food safety concern because it can spread through contaminated produce and may not be immediately apparent when food is sold. The FDA said the investigation is continuing, and the company said it is working with federal and state authorities. Taylor Farms said it had stopped receiving product from the implicated lot and suspended distribution of iceberg lettuce from central Mexico.

The company also said it had notified customers and was continuing to work with the FDA, the CDC and state authorities. The FDA said the positive sample was not part of the current recall, which means investigators are still trying to establish the full scope of the affected supply chain. That leaves open questions about whether any contaminated product remains available to consumers.

Officials have not said how the contamination occurred, and they have not identified any additional illnesses beyond those already reported. The next steps are likely to focus on tracing the implicated lot, checking whether any product remains in stores or homes, and confirming whether the voluntary removal needs to be expanded. Public health agencies are also likely to continue monitoring for new cases as the outbreak investigation develops.

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