Salinas-based Taylor Farms has been linked to the cyclosporiasis outbreak that has sickened thousands of people across the country, according to a media report.
Read more Stone: San Jose’s downtown economy requires full-time workers far more than visiting soccer fans
On Thursday, the Washington Post reported investigators have identified shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by the company to Taco Bell restaurants as a possible source of contamination.
The cyclospora parasite that causes severe diarrhea has sickened people in 34 states, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 4,000 cases have been reported in Michigan alone.
“The signal we have gotten is that there is a very high percentage of people who got sick at Taco Bell, and when investigators asked what their menu items were in common, lettuce came up frequently,” an individual familiar with the investigation told the Post.
Taco Bell told the Food and Drug Administration the lettuce was sourced from Taylor Farms for restaurants in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia, the Post reported.
Read more Letters: A data center moratorium would benefit the environment
On its website, Taylor Farms claims to be the leading global producer of salads and healthy fresh foods, with production facilities in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Western Europe.
Taylor Farms did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Post.
In a statement, Taco Bell said it has “taken immediate action to voluntarily remove potentially impacted lettuce from a supplier in select states.”
“The affected ingredient from our supplier is being indefinitely removed from our supply chain nationwide and will be replaced within 24 hours in select states,” the company said.
Read more British Open: Jackson Suber leads a day of surprises at Birkdale with a 65 in British debut
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
About the Author
