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FDA Retracts Positive Cyclospora Test As Outbreak Investigation Continues
Russ Survance
Tue, 21 Jul 2026 12:13:19 EDT
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The FDA has withdrawn an earlier laboratory finding that appeared to detect Cyclospora in Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce, saying a re-analysis determined the result was a false positive. Agency officials say detecting the parasite is especially challenging, but despite the testing error, investigators continue to trace the outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce supplied from Central Mexico.
Taylor Farms says the FDA apologized for the incorrect result. The company says no Taylor Farms product has tested positive for Cyclospora and that it voluntarily removed all Central Mexico iceberg lettuce from the U.S. market as a precaution. The recall covers selected products distributed between June 29th and July 16th in 27 states, including Michigan.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to link the outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia. Investigators say patient interviews and product traceback identified a single Mexican supplier, and Taco Bell has removed the affected lettuce from its restaurants.
The CDC has confirmed more than thousands of reported illnesses and dozens of hospitalizations with no reported deaths. Meanwhile, Michigan has recorded more than 6,500 cyclosporiasis cases during the same period. State officials say those totals include suspected and confirmed cases under investigation and are not all tied to the Taco Bell outbreak.
Cyclospora is a parasite spread through contaminated food or water - not person-to-person contact. Symptoms usually appear about a week after exposure and include severe watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, fatigue and dehydration. Health officials urge anyone experiencing those symptoms after eating recalled lettuce or shredded lettuce from an affected Taco Bell restaurant to contact a healthcare provider.
