Acting US FDA chief urges confidence in lettuce as agency updates produce safety guidance
Acting U.S. FDA Chief Kyle Diamantas urged Americans to trust fresh produce, as the agency unveiled updated guidelines for handling and packaging amid ongoing outbreaks. The FDA's recommendations emphasize sanitation, supplier verification, and refrigeration to combat pathogens like salmonella, cyclospora, E. coli, and listeria.
The cyclosporiasis outbreak, linked to iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms, has affected 15 states, with Michigan hit the hardest, while salmonella contamination in jalapenos from the same farm prompted a recall. Despite the outbreaks, Diamantas affirmed consumer confidence in fresh produce, stating that all affected lettuce has been removed from the market since July 17th.
The FDA's new supplier recommendations, non-binding, target manufacturers and processors of products like chopped lettuce and fruit salads. The agency is actively investigating the cyclospora outbreak, considering supply-chain controls due to its persistence despite wash-water antimicrobials.
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