FDA Maintains Focus on Taylor Farms Amid Cyclospora Outbreak Despite Retracted Test

The Food and Drug Administration confirmed Monday that a positive test for cyclospora in a sample of Taylor Farms lettuce was a false positive, stemming from a routine import inspection rather than the specific products under investigation. Despite this retraction, federal health officials emphasized that the voluntary recall of shredded iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico remains in effect. The FDA stated that epidemiological data, including patient interviews linking illnesses to Taco Bell locations in five states, continues to strongly implicate Taylor Farms as the source of the multistate outbreak.

Over 1,600 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported across Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia, with thousands more suspected. While Taylor Farms claimed the FDA apologized for the erroneous test, agency officials denied issuing an official apology. Experts note that detecting the parasite in food samples is notoriously difficult, often making epidemiological traceback more critical than laboratory confirmation. Taco Bell has removed all Taylor Farms lettuce from its U.S. restaurants, and health officials continue to urge consumers to avoid recalled products.