A diarrhea-causing illness has taken over the U.S. and the news cycle, but as officials try to trace its origins, many greens lovers are asking themselves the same question: Can I eat lettuce now?
The answer is maybe.
Cyclosporiasis has spread throughout much of the U.S., with the multistate outbreak already affecting at least 1,645 people and another 5,000 cases still under investigation. The major outbreak has put food under added scrutiny—particularly lettuce. But the specifics have turned increasingly confusing. Here’s what we know.
Last week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) linked the outbreak to iceberg lettuce from a Taylor Farms de Mexico facility in central Mexico, although the FDA later announced the tests were actually a false positive. Still, Taylor Farms has issued a voluntary recall of the product, and the FDA recommends avoiding products recalled by the company. The iceberg lettuce is the only identified source at the moment, although investigations in the U.S. and Mexico remain active.
According to the product recall announcement, the affected lettuce includes batches distributed from June 29 through July 16 across various states, with “best used by” dates running through August 3. The recall includes a variety of products that feature shredded, chopped, and salad-mix versions.
The affected lettuce has been distributed across the following 27 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
What lettuce is affected?
It’s not only bags with the Taylor Farms name that may be affected. Some lettuce products from the Marketside brand come from the same facility and may be available at Walmart—the retailer has since removed products suspected to be affected as a precaution.
Additionally, many restaurants and school cafeterias receive their produce from one of the nation’s largest food suppliers, Sysco, which carries products from Taylor Farms. Notably, Taco Bell has also been impacted by the outbreak. Reportedly, Taco Bell has removed the recalled lettuce from its supply chain following links to the cases in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.
For those who believe they may have bought affected lettuce, they should compare the product code and date at the back of the packaging with the details shared on the Taylor Farms website.
Cyclosporiasis is a form of intestinal illness caused by consuming produce or water infected with fecal matter. Triggered by a microscopic parasite, the illness takes anywhere from days to weeks to manifest, leaving those infected with symptoms like bloating, cramps, and explosive diarrhea.
According to reports, the parasite is especially hard to test for due to other compounds in food and the low number of infectious eggs present on produce, forcing federal investigators to rely heavily on patient interviews to track the source.
Can I eat lettuce now?
As experts urge consumers to remain vigilant about the raw produce they consume while the outbreak is ongoing, these experts also point out that not all lettuce is affected by the recall.
Although past outbreaks affected other forms of produce like blueberries, cilantro, basil, snow peas, and other leafy greens, there is no direct link to the current outbreak and these items should be safe to eat for now. For consumers looking to take extra precautions, leafy greens and other fresh produce can still be consumed by cooking them at 158 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
