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Produce giant Taylor Farms has released a full list of recalled products after a cyclospora outbreak that has sickened hundreds of people in five states.
The company has voluntarily removed all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the US market “because it has the potential to be contaminated with Cyclospora,” according to recall information on its website.
Taylor Farms said the shredded iceberg product was distributed from June 29 through July 16 in 27 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.
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A complete list of recalled products, lot codes, and use-by dates is available here.
Consumers who have purchased the recalled iceberg lettuce should discard it immediately.
Full refunds are also available at the location of purchase, according to the company.
“We are actively removing the implicated products,” said the recall notice on the Taylor Farms site. “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 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday the outbreak has been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.
A Food and Drug Administration traceback investigation “identified convergence on a single supplier, Taylor Farms de Mexico, that provided shredded iceberg lettuce used by Taco Bell locations where sick people ate before becoming ill,” the agency said.
Taco Bell confirmed Thursday it has “completed removal of affected Taylor Farms lettuce from our restaurants.”
Cyclospora causes cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness whose most common symptom is prolonged diarrhea.
It can also cause stomach cramps, nausea, fatigue, bloating, weight loss and low-grade fever, according to the CDC.
People with weakened immune systems, the elderly or children can experience more severe illness, the FDA says.
California-based Taylor Farms products are sold through major retailers including Target, Walmart, Whole Foods Market and Amazon Fresh, according to its website.
The company stressed Friday that none of its branded salads or kits are associated with the outbreak and that its branded salad kits do not contain iceberg lettuce.
Consumers with questions can contact the company’s customer care team at 855-455-0098 Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm PST.
“As a family-owned company, we are deeply concerned for those who became ill, their families, and the Americans whose trust in the safety of fresh produce has been shaken,” the company said in a statement on Friday.
English (US)