Mexican Iceberg Lettuce Tied to Outbreak
Federal investigators say iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico has been identified as the source of a Cyclospora outbreak that sickened Americans across the country. The lettuce was supplied by Taylor Farms and used by multiple Taco Bell locations, according to reports. Taylor Farms posted a recall notice through the Food and Drug Administration and said it has stopped receiving product from the implicated lot, suspended distribution of iceberg lettuce from central Mexico, notified customers, and is working with the FDA, CDC, and state officials. Nothing says “modern food chain” quite like needing a federal investigation before you can trust a taco topping.
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Recall Reaches 27 States
The FDA notice listed multiple brand names connected to the recalled lettuce, with products sold in 27 states: 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 affected products carried “best if used by” dates from July 16 through Aug. 3. Walmart also said it removed four bagged iceberg lettuce salad products made by Taylor Farms as the recall widened.
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Taco Bell Pulls the Impacted Lettuce
Federal investigators said one supplier of iceberg lettuce from Mexico shipped lettuce to Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. Taco Bell Corp. said it removed all impacted Taylor Farms lettuce from its restaurants. The FDA said 1,644 people infected with Cyclospora reported eating at Taco Bell in those five states. That does not mean every case nationwide came from one restaurant chain, but it does show why traceability matters. When food moves fast through a national system, one weak link can turn into a multi-state headache in a hurry.
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Food Suppliers Move to Limit Risk
Other companies are also acting with caution. Sysco, a major food supplier, stopped distributing any Taylor Farms processed iceberg lettuce from Mexico while officials continue their review. A Sysco representative said the company will keep monitoring the situation and work with regulators as needed, adding that food safety is a critical priority and that the company has food safety and quality assurance processes in place. Americans should not need a chemistry degree, a law degree, and a prayer circle to buy a bag of lettuce, but here we are.
How Cyclospora Contamination Can Happen
Cyclospora contamination comes from human feces, according to Matthew Moore, a food scientist at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He suggested that tainted irrigation water used on crops could be connected to the outbreak. Moore told The Washington Post that it was striking that human fecal material was finding its way into food, noting how much lettuce is consumed in this country. That is the kind of detail that should make regulators, suppliers, and retailers move quickly, because food safety is not a luxury item. It is basic public trust.
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mexico the gift that keeps on giving