The Food and Drug Administration said Sunday that a sample of Taylor Farms lettuce initially reported as positive for Cyclospora should be considered a false positive after further laboratory testing.
“Due to the complexity of detecting Cyclospora, FDA laboratory experts have re-examined the sample results and concluded that the result does not represent a true amplification and should be considered a false positive,” the agency said.
The FDA said no product samples produced a confirmed positive result for Cyclospora as of Sunday.
TAYLOR FARMS LETTUCE SAMPLE TESTS POSITIVE FOR CYCLOSPORA AS RECALL EXPANDS
The FDA said the initial results should be considered a false positive. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/Getty Images)
Taylor Fresh Foods said the FDA informed the company that the initial result was incorrect.
“To be clear, at this time, the FDA has not identified any positive results for Cyclospora,” the company said in a statement.
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There are no confirmed positive sample results for Cyclospora as of Sunday. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Taylor Fresh Foods also said the FDA apologized to the company for the erroneous result. The FDA did not include an apology in the agency’s language provided with the story.
The FDA said it has informed Taylor Farms of the revised findings and continues to work with the company and its Taylor Farms de Mexico operations to ensure that the products involved in the investigation have been removed from the market. The agency and its state partners continue to collect and analyze product samples.
Taylor Farms initiated a voluntary recall of iceberg lettuce from central Mexico on July 17 after federal investigators traced lettuce served at some Taco Bell restaurants to Taylor Farms of Mexico City. The recall involves iceberg lettuce distributed to retail stores, restaurants and other food service customers.
“Based on the initial information provided by health officials, with an abundance of caution, we have conducted a voluntary recall of iceberg lettuce from central Mexico,” the statement continued. “The recalled product was limited to iceberg lettuce grown and processed in central Mexico. All other Taylor Farms products, including all Taylor Farms brand products available for purchase, are not affected by the recall. »
Taylor Fresh Foods said it was informed that the FDA made an error. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/Getty Images)
This comes after the FDA said Saturday that a sample of shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms tested positive for Cyclospora, which has sickened thousands of people across the United States.
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Cyclosporiasis has been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce Restaurants at Taco Bell in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia, resulting in about 100 hospitalizations so far, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No deaths have been reported.
