Overview
- Federal lab reviewers concluded Monday that a previously reported positive Cyclospora test on a Taylor Farms lettuce sample was a false positive and that no product has yet tested positive for the parasite.
- Despite the lab reversal, the FDA says its traceback work and epidemiologic interviews continue to converge on shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico and urges the public to avoid recalled items.
- The outbreak has sickened thousands across many states, with Michigan reporting more than 6,100 cases and over 100 hospitalizations, and officials say true illness totals are likely higher than federal confirmed counts.
- Investigators say Cyclospora is hard to find on produce, incubation can take days to weeks, and testing and public health lab limits make traceback and patient interviews central to identifying contaminated food.
- Taylor Farms has kept a voluntary recall of iceberg lettuce distributed to about 27 states, Taco Bell and other customers removed implicated lettuce, and federal and state teams continue sample collection and analysis while the probe remains active.