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Taylor Farms shredded iceberg lettuce investigated in potential cyclospora outbreak, CNN reports

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Shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms, which was founded and is headquartered in Salinas, and sold at some Taco Bell restaurants, is being investigated as a possible source of a multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a source familiar with the investigation said Thursday.

The Washington Post has similarly reported that two unnamed federal health investigators said that shredded iceberg lettuce supplied to Taco Bell restaurants by Taylor Farms was a potential source of contamination for the outbreak.

These claims have not been confirmed by the FDA, CDC, or USDA. KSBW 8 has reached out to the FDA, CDC, and the USDA for comment.

KSBW 8 has also reached out to Taylor Farms for comment and has not received a response as of the time of publication.

Cases of the intestinal illness, caused by a microscopic parasite, are surging across the U.S., with nearly 7,000 cases confirmed or under investigation since May 1, according to data published Tuesday by the CDC. Confirmed cases alone are more than six times higher than they were at this time last year, and there have been at least 141 hospitalizations.

The outbreak linked to the lettuce, however, is considered to be a regional one, centered in the Midwest.

The CDC has identified at least 400 cases associated with the outbreak across four states: Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky. These cases are among people who reported symptoms on or after June 22, the agency said in an update Tuesday.

The Michigan state health department has reported more than 4,300 cases of cyclospora during the outbreak investigation. Michigan said it has interviewed more than 1,000 people as part of its investigation and had previously noted that lettuce or salad greens may be a potential source for the outbreak.

“While authorities continue their broader review, Taco Bell has voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure,” Taco Bell Corp. said in a statement. “We will continue to closely monitor the situation and follow the guidance of public health authorities.”