WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that a follow-up review of a shredded lettuce sample from Taylor Farms determined an initial detection of Cyclospora was a false positive. The microscopic, diarrhea-causing parasite has been tied to a major nationwide outbreak.
The FDA had previously stated that a shredded iceberg lettuce sample supplied by Taylor Farms from central Mexico tested positive. However, citing “the complexity in detection of Cyclospora,” agency laboratory experts re-reviewed the sample results and concluded that the initial reading did not represent true target amplification.
As of the update, the FDA confirmed it has no verified positive product sample results detecting the illness.
“FDA has notified Taylor Farms and continues working with the firm to ensure product implicated in this outbreak has been removed from the market,” the agency stated on its website.
Taylor Farms Responds as Recall Remains in Effect
In a response issued following the FDA’s update, Taylor Farms stated that federal health officials apologized for the error.
“Today, we were informed that FDA made a mistake, and this was a false positive,” the company said in an official statement. “To be clear, at this moment, FDA has not identified a single positive product test result for Cyclospora.”
Despite the laboratory correction, Taylor Farms confirmed it has completed a voluntary recall covering all shredded iceberg lettuce products grown and processed at its central Mexico facilities out of an abundance of caution. The company emphasized that all other Taylor Farms products remain unaffected and have not been recalled.
Impact of the Outbreak and Restaurant Response
The ongoing Cyclospora outbreak has caused nearly 7,000 infections across 34 states, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Epidemiological investigations linked cases of cyclosporiasis to shredded iceberg lettuce used in Taco Bell locations across Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. The outbreak has resulted in approximately 100 hospitalizations, with no reported deaths.
Taco Bell confirmed it has stopped using lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms across affected regions.
What Is Cyclospora?
According to the CDC, Cyclospora cayetanensis is a microscopic, single-celled parasite that infects the small intestine. Once inside the intestinal tract, it causes watery diarrhea often accompanied by frequent and explosive bowel movements, stomach cramps, bloating, nausea, and fatigue. While rarely life-threatening, the illness can persist for several weeks or even months if left untreated with appropriate antibiotics.
The parasite spreads when individuals consume food or water contaminated with infected human feces. Symptoms typically develop between two days and two weeks following exposure. Person-to-person transmission by direct infection is unlikely because the parasite requires time outside the host to become infectious.
Cyclospora outbreaks are frequently linked to fresh produce. Because the microscopic organisms can cling tightly to produce surfaces—especially items with textured or uneven outer layers like raspberries—standard washing with water may not completely remove them. Thoroughly cooking produce kills the parasite, making cooked foods the safest option when contamination risks are present.
