The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Sunday that a laboratory re-examination of a lettuce sample from supplier Taylor Farms, initially suspected of containing the Cyclospora parasite, has been deemed a false positive. As of Sunday, the FDA stated there were no confirmed positive sample results for Cyclospora, the parasite linked to an outbreak that has sickened thousands across the United States.
On Saturday, the FDA had indicated that a sample of shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms tested positive for the parasite. The agency's latest update noted it has informed Taylor Farms and continues to collaborate with the company to ensure any implicated product has been removed from the market. Taylor Farms had previously confirmed that the product in question was not part of its current recall, according to the FDA.
Cyclosporiasis, the illness caused by the parasite, has been associated with shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported approximately 100 hospitalizations and no deaths related to this outbreak. The lettuce in question was produced in 5-pound bags at Taylor Farms' facility in Guanajuato, Mexico, a source told Reuters. The FDA had previously stated late Thursday that the lettuce originated from Mexico.