US declares end to lettuce parasite outbreak that killed 2
US health authorities on Friday declared the nation’s largest recorded cyclosporiasis outbreak over, after contaminated iceberg lettuce sickened thousands, though the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it was still investigating how the parasite entered the food supply. The outbreak, which federal investigators linked to lettuce from central Mexico sourced by Taylor Farms, prompted one of…
The United States has declared the end of the nation's largest recorded cyclosporiasis outbreak, which was caused by contaminated iceberg lettuce. The outbreak, linked to lettuce from central Mexico sourced by Taylor Farms, resulted in the sickening of thousands of people across 21 states. It led to 12,883 illnesses, 570 hospitalizations, and two deaths, with over half of the 19,595 lab-confirmed cases reported in the US since May 1.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated on Friday it was confident all recalled iceberg lettuce related to the outbreak had been removed from the market. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said best-by dates for linked products had passed, and the lettuce would no longer be available in stores or restaurants.
Taylor Farms recalled all central Mexico-sourced iceberg lettuce on July 17. The FDA also completed on-site inspections of lettuce farms and the Mexican processing facility, with analysis pending. The outbreak prompted a significant food recall and raised concerns about food-safety controls for imported produce, causing some consumers to avoid raw fruits, vegetables, and dining out.
Michigan, hardest hit by the outbreak, reported over 14,000 cases and two deaths, though high case totals were due to a backlog of reports processed in August. The largest US cyclosporiasis season on record was in 2019, with roughly 4,700 illnesses nationwide.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
