Taylor Farms has expanded a voluntary recall of iceberg lettuce distributed across 27 states after federal health officials linked the lettuce from its supplier in central Mexico to the spread of a parasite causing notable diarrhea. Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) connected shredded iceberg lettuce from a single Mexican supplier to a multistate cyclospora outbreak that has sickened at least 1,645 people and resulted in 141 hospitalizations this year.

The California-based produce company announced on Friday that it is recalling 25 shredded lettuce and salad mix products sourced from the contaminated lot in central Mexico. Taylor Farms has stopped purchasing lettuce from this source and is actively removing the implicated products from the market. "The company has stopped receiving product from the implicated lot, suspended distribution of the iceberg lettuce from Central Mexico, notified our customers, and we are continuing to work with the FDA, CDC, and state authorities," the company said in a statement.

The recall covers iceberg lettuce distributed in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Customers who have purchased the recalled iceberg lettuce are advised not to consume it and to discard it immediately. Taylor Farms is offering full refunds at the point of purchase and urges anyone experiencing health issues to contact their physician.

The CDC also identified that the contaminated lettuce was served at Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. There have been no reported deaths linked to the outbreak.

Sources

The Hill