SerpApi.Org
Federal officials are investigating a widening Cyclospora outbreak tied to shredded iceberg lettuce, leading retailers and restaurant chains to remove products as they try to limit further illnesses.
Walmart and Taco Bell are among the companies taking steps, Newsweek reported.
What happened?
CDC data cited by the outlet show that more than 1,644 people have fallen ill, including 94 who were hospitalized, in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. No deaths have been reported.
Investigators linked the outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce, and Taylor Farms responded with a voluntary recall of all iceberg lettuce from central Mexico distributed between June 29 and July 16. The products were sent to retail stores, restaurants, and food-service customers in 27 states.
Taylor Farms and the FDA later said there was a false positive involved, which has caused some confusion and controversy. But retailers seem to be eager to limit the risks either way until the dust has settled since the FDA confirmed it's still investigating the brand.
As a precaution, Walmart said it pulled four bagged iceberg lettuce salad products from its stores.
"The health and safety of our customers is a top priority," a Walmart spokesperson told CNBC, adding that there had been no confirmed illnesses tied specifically to the items sold in its stores.
Taco Bell also acted quickly.
"Based on ongoing conversations with public health officials, and out of an abundance of caution, Taco Bell has taken immediate action to voluntarily remove potentially impacted lettuce from a supplier in select states," the company said, according to USA Today.
Why does it matter?
Cyclospora cayetanensis is the microscopic parasite behind cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness that can cause persistent watery diarrhea, fatigue, and other symptoms that may continue for weeks without treatment. Symptoms often begin about a week after exposure, though they can appear sooner or later.
The affected ingredient is common, often eaten raw, and may have appeared in different package formats, meaning some consumers may not realize they were exposed until days after eating it.
Industrial food production can leave many stores and restaurants vulnerable when a single supplier, processing stream, or farm region supplies many outlets at once.
Weak oversight, supply chain shortcuts, or uneven safety standards can allow a single contamination event to become a multistate problem.
What's being done?
State and federal officials, including the FDA and CDC, are continuing to trace the contamination source and review additional samples.
Sysco has also stopped distributing the recalled Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce from Mexico and told customers to throw away products covered by the recall. According to the FDA, shoppers should either discard the lettuce or return it for a refund.
Anyone dealing with persistent watery diarrhea or severe fatigue should contact a health care provider and mention possible Cyclospora exposure, since routine testing may not always check for the parasite.
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