FDA still focused on Taylor Farms lettuce as Cyclospora source despite retracted test

The source of the Cyclospora illness outbreak remains unknown, after the Food and Drug Administration announced Sunday that a previous test identifying the parasite in a sample of lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico was not actually contaminated with Cyclospora.

The FDA said in a statement that it 'concluded that the finding does not represent true amplification and should be considered a false positive.'

On social media, the FDA clarified: 'this false-positive lab sample DOES NOT change the basis for FDA's ongoing outbreak investigation or the overwhelming epidemiological data supporting the current voluntary recall by Taylor Farms.'

Taylor Farms said in its own statement: 'FDA has not identified a single positive product test result for Cyclospora.' The company also said it is 'no longer sourcing iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico for the remainder of the growing season.'

There are over 1,600 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis, with a growing number of suspected cases in the thousands. Ninety-four people have been hospitalized with no deaths reported. Products were distributed across 27 states, tied to Taco Bell locations in five states.