FDA says it falsely identified source of cyclosporiasis outbreak

The Food and Drug Administration on Sunday backtracked on earlier statements that it pinpointed the source of a multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak. FDA experts rereviewed tests on an iceberg lettuce sample from Taylor Farms de Mexico and found that it falsely tested positive for the diarrhea-causing Cyclospora parasite, the agency said. Despite the false positive, the FDA would continue working with Taylor Farms to recall that lettuce product, it said.

No source for the outbreak, which began in May, had been found as of Sunday, the FDA said. Previous outbreaks involved contaminated fresh produce. Over 1,600 people in five states have contracted confirmed cyclosporiasis cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What did Taylor Farms say about the situation? The Salinas, Calif.-headquartered Taylor Fresh Foods company confirmed that it recalled iceberg lettuce grown in Mexico out of an abundance of caution. The FDA apologized for the false positive, the company said.

Dig deeper: Read my initial report on the outbreak for information on how to avoid cyclosporiasis.