Lately, it's been a whirlwind in the world of fresh produce—cyclosporiasis, the illness caused by the parasite Cyclospora, which causes seriously unpleasant symptoms such as watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, and weight loss, has cases in the thousands across the country. On July 17, the FDA traced the outbreak to a single supplier: Taylor Farms de Mexico. The initial recall determined that the company's shredded iceberg lettuce used by Taco Bell locations was responsible for the parasitic outbreak. Now, however, the FDA is adjusting those claims.

While Taylor Farms de Mexico swiftly and voluntarily recalled all its iceberg lettuce from the U.S. market following the FDA findings, by July 19, the organization reported that its initial results from the Cyclospora investigation were due to a false positive. "Due to the complexity in detection of Cyclospora, FDA laboratory experts re-reviewed the sample results and have concluded that the finding does not represent true amplification and should be considered a false positive," the notice stated.

Earlier in the investigation, officials zeroed in on lettuce and salad greens, as well as Taco Bell, as potential sources of the outbreak. Previous outbreaks have been linked to fresh produce, including leafy greens, herbs, berries, and other fruits. While the FDA and state partners continue to investigate possible sources of the outbreak, as of July 19, there have been no confirmed positive sample results for product testing for...

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