FDA says positive Cyclospora test was false positive in Taylor Farms lettuce recall

Taylor Farms de Mexico is voluntarily recalling shredded iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico as federal officials investigate a multistate Cyclospora outbreak, although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says an initial positive test on a lettuce sample was later determined to be a false positive.

The FDA said Sunday that laboratory experts re-reviewed a lettuce sample supplied by Taylor Farms de Mexico that was initially reported as positive for Cyclospora. Because of the complexity of detecting the parasite, the agency concluded the result did not represent true amplification and should be considered a false positive.

As of July 19, the FDA said there are no confirmed positive product samples for Cyclospora. The agency said it continues working with Taylor Farms to ensure product implicated in the outbreak has been removed from the market while federal and state officials continue collecting and analyzing samples.

In an updated statement Sunday, Taylor Fresh Foods said the FDA apologized after informing the company that the initial positive test result was incorrect.

“Yesterday, FDA informed Taylor Fresh Foods that one of its iceberg lettuce products from central Mexico tested positive for Cyclospora. Today, we were informed that FDA made a mistake, and this was a false positive,” the company said. “To be clear, at this moment, FDA has not identified a single positive product test result for Cyclospora.”

The company said it voluntarily recalled iceberg lettuce grown and processed in central Mexico out of an abundance of caution based on the information initially provided by health officials. The recall is limited to iceberg lettuce from central Mexico, and Taylor Fresh Foods said all other Taylor Farms products, including all Taylor Farms-branded products currently available for purchase, are not affected.

“Our thoughts remain with everyone who has fallen ill in this outbreak,” the company said. “We are committed to working with public health authorities as the ongoing outbreak investigation continues.”

The recalled shredded iceberg lettuce was distributed between June 29 and July 16 in 27 states, including New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

A complete list of products, lot codes, use-by dates and instructions for returning or disposing of them is available here:

Consumers who purchased the recalled lettuce should discard it immediately and not consume it. Full refunds are available at the place of purchase.

According to the FDA, most people infected with Cyclospora develop diarrhea with frequent bowel movements. Other symptoms may include loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps, bloating, increased gas, nausea and fatigue. Some people also may experience vomiting, body aches, headaches or fever, while others have no symptoms.

If left untreated, the illness can lead to dehydration and other complications that may require medical care. Symptoms can last from several days to more than a month and may return after appearing to resolve. People with weakened immune systems may experience more severe illness.

Consumers experiencing symptoms after eating the recalled lettuce should contact their health care provider. Questions about the recall can be directed to Taylor Farms Consumer Care at 855-455-0098, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time.