Food Safety Alert: Taylor Farms Recalls Iceberg Lettuce Across 27 States Over Parasite Concerns

In a significant move impacting food safety across the nation, Taylor Farms has initiated a voluntary recall for iceberg lettuce distributed in 27 U.S. states. The widespread action comes amidst serious concerns over potential contamination with cyclosporiasis, a parasitic illness.

The prominent fruit and vegetable supplier confirmed the recall late Friday evening, stating in an official announcement that it is proactively "voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market."

This potentially contaminated produce has been at the center of a recent cyclosporiasis outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had previously traced the illness to shredded iceberg lettuce served at various Taco Bell establishments across five states, including Indiana, Kentucky, and Michigan.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warnings that individuals infected by the Cyclospora parasite may experience severe flu-like symptoms, most notably "watery diarrhea, with frequent bowel movements."

Taylor Farms specified that the implicated "shredded iceberg product" was distributed between June 29 and July 16, reaching states such as Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, and Texas. Notably, California and New York were not included in this particular recall notice.

"Based on information provided yesterday by the FDA, Taylor Farms de Mexico is voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market," the company affirmed in its statement. "While the FDA traceback is indicating a specific independent farm that represents less than 1% of the U.S.'s iceberg lettuce supply as the potential source of the outbreak, we have removed all iceberg lettuce from the region indefinitely."

Prior to Taylor Farms issuing its official recall, Yum Brands' fast-food chain, Taco Bell, had already announced that it had ceased serving the potentially contaminated lettuce in its restaurants.

Walmart also responded to the FDA's latest announcement regarding the Taylor Farms recall. On Saturday, the retail giant posted a notice on its corporate website, alerting customers that the affected greens might have been sold at its stores in states like Alabama, Indiana, and West Virginia.

A Walmart spokesperson emphasized the company's commitment to customer safety in an emailed statement to CNBC. "The health and safety of our customers is a top priority," the spokesperson said. "Although there is no indication that products sold in our stores are affected by the current Cyclospora investigations, we have removed four bagged iceberg lettuce salad products from select locations as a precaution after receiving notice from our supplier."

The spokesperson further clarified: "There have been no confirmed illnesses associated with these products at this time," and confirmed that Walmart is "working closely with our supplier and took immediate steps to remove the products from sale."