Taylor Farms Halts Central Mexico Iceberg Sourcing After 7,000-Case Parasite Outbreak
Updated
Updated · Forbes · Jul 24
Taylor Farms Halts Central Mexico Iceberg Sourcing After 7,000-Case Parasite Outbreak
3 articles · Updated · Forbes · Jul 24
Summary
Taylor Farms said it will stop sourcing any iceberg lettuce from Central Mexico for the rest of the season and has sent specialists there to investigate possible contamination.
More than 7,000 people have been sickened and nearly 150 hospitalized in a cyclosporiasis outbreak the FDA still ties to Taylor Farms lettuce through what it called overwhelming epidemiological evidence.
The company’s move followed a confusing turn in the probe: the FDA said a sample test was a false positive and apologized, but later stressed it still had no positive lab result while maintaining the link.
Bruce Taylor also sent a lobbyist to the White House seeking more involvement in the investigation, while warning the outbreak has cut produce sales by 10% nationally and leafy greens by 40%.
The episode adds to scrutiny of the $7 billion salad producer, which has faced multiple recalls before and is now highlighting greenhouse-grown lettuce as a safer, more traceable alternative.